Help kindergarten students learn to read by introducing them to nursery rhymes and other stories that can be sung rather than simply told or have them read lyrics to songs while they sing. In Feb. 2011, The Oracle reported that research is being conducted at St. Petersburg's University of South Florida to learn how singing may help youngsters and new readers learn how to read more easily. This research follows a series of 2010 studies that found a child's reading comprehension skills can be improved by reading lyrics to a song while singing along. By singing the words they are reading, kindergartners will also expand their vocabulary and see their fluency improve.
Have kindergartners read a story together as a group, with each student taking a turn reading a short section out loud. Not only will this group activity give students the chance to practice proper pronunciation, but they will also get the opportunity to help one another as they work to read new words and phrases. This activity is one that can be done in as little time as an afternoon, or kindergartners can choose to dedicate a certain amount of time to read a story out loud as a group each day.
Give your kindergartner a simple book related to a new activity she wants to explore to help facilitate her ability to read. By supplying new readers with literature related to their interests, they will be naturally encouraged to learn how to read and it will seem like a much simpler task. So whether your kindergartner wants to start a garden, get a puppy, learn a foreign language or play a sport, have her read part of the book, pamphlet or other literature that relates to the activity before beginning to help her learn to read.
Give your kindergartners their very own set of flash cards with short, commonly used words and a descriptive picture to help them learn how to read. Children will begin to recognize whole words and sentences rather than just letters and sounds, and they can use flash cards with individual words to make their own sentences as their skills progress. While teachers, parents and other role models should not rely on this memorization method to take the place of individual instruction, flash cards are a great tool to help kindergartners master the skill.