Teaching someone to read is a valuable experience. Use the teaching steps and instructions below, either to teach a child to read their first book or to teach a friend to improve their literacy skills.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Necessary Things for Teaching
Step 1. Teach the alphabet
The first step to reading is the introduction of the letters of the alphabet. Use posters, whiteboards, or notes to write and display the alphabet. Teach the letter to the student until he understands each letter. Use the alphabet song to help them remember it.
- Once the student knows the order of the alphabet, challenge him to write a few letters in a row and ask him to memorize it.
- You can also name a letter and ask him to point to it.
- When teaching a child, start by teaching his or her the letters of their own name. This makes learning the letters personal and important. Because it is something important to the child - his own name - the child “owns” his learning, and will be excited by it. When teaching young children, start by teaching their own names. This makes them feel closer and consider learning the alphabet important. Because he feels important, then he will feel more interested in learning.
Step 2. Teach the sound
When your students know the alphabet, you also need to teach the pronunciation. Learning the names of the letters is not enough, because each letter can be said differently depending on the word. For example '' The g' in “green” is different from the “g” in the word “giraffe.
Once students have mastered the denominators, they can practice combining them to form words.
- This knowledge is the basic sound in the way they are pronounced and their ability to form different words is called phonemic awareness.
- Teach the sound of each letter. Give examples that begin with each letter and ask students to name examples as well.
- You can also mention a word and ask students what the first letter of the word is.
- You can teach students several letter pairs that produce a certain pronunciation, such as “ch”, “sh”, “ph”, “qu”, “gh”, and “ck”.
Step 3. Teach short, single-syllable words
Introduce students to basic reading by showing them words that have one syllable and three letters. Beginners are usually better able to learn words with consonant-vowel-consonant patterns, such as CAT and DOG.
- Start by asking students to read simple words with one syllable such as “sit”. Allow students to name each letter, and let them try to read the word. If the student makes a mistake, ask again how it is pronounced. Students will learn and remember it or it can also need to be reminded. When the word is read correctly, praise it.
- Repeat this process with another simple word. When you reach five words, repeat the first word and see if the student can read it faster.
- Continue to introduce new words, gradually teaching longer and more complex words.
Step 4. Teach sight words
Visible words are words that are learned by heart, in contrast to other words that must be learned how to pronounce. Lots of sight words like “dad”, “again”, and “friend”. For this reason, it is important for readers to recognize these words as soon as they read them.
- The visible words have been collected in several lists, such as the Dolch Sight Word Series and the Fry List.
- To teach visible words, try to associate each word with an illustration. Illustrating these words helps students to make important connections between objects and words.
- Picture cards or posters with pictures and written words are good teaching tools.
- Repetition is the key to visible word teaching. Beginner readers should be given the opportunity to read and write the visible word several times. Repetition is a good strategy to help students remember these words.
Step 5. Build vocabulary
A student's vocabulary is determined by the few words they know and understand after they read it. Develop students' vocabulary as an integral part of their learning to read. The wider the vocabulary, the more words you can read and understand. You can help students develop their vocabulary in several ways:
- By encouraging them to read more and differentiate each type of text they read. When reading, ask students to underline words they don't know, then you explain or help them look up the meaning in a dictionary.
- Teach them the definition of each word or attribute in a word, such as its basic meaning, prefix, and suffix.
- Use the association method to help students draw the relationship between what they know and the word they don't know. Pairing new words with synonyms is an example.
Step 6. Build fluency
Fluency is the ability to read quickly and accurately, with the right rhythm, intonation, and expression. Beginner readers do not have this ability. As a result, they sometimes have difficulty reading texts that exceed their abilities. Without fluency, a reader will focus all their energy on reciting the word they are reading, but not absorbing the meaning. When this happens, it means that the reader fails to understand the meaning of the text, so the ability to read is useless.
- Some readers who are not fluent will give up while reading, and do not know the pause. Others read expressionlessly and without changing the tone, they will read quickly without knowing the meaning.
- The best way to improve their fluency is through repetition. In repetition reading, students read a passage over and over again and the teacher can determine its speed and level of accuracy, help them with unreadable words, and give examples of how to read fluently.
- It is also important to make sure students are familiar with different types of pronunciation. Make sure your students are aware of punctuation marks such as commas, periods, question marks, and exclamation points, which will have an effect on reading flow and intonation when reading.
Step 7. Test your reading comprehension
Reading comprehension is the process of constructing the meaning of what is read. To understand a text, a reader must associate the word he sees with its real meaning. Your main goal is to make your student understand the text he is reading because without understanding, reading is meaningless.
- To test your students' progress, you need to test their reading comprehension. Usually this can be done by asking students to read and answering questions about what they have read. The exam format consists of multiple choice, short answer, and short fill.
- You can also test your students' knowledge of strategies in reading comprehension by asking questions while reading, asking them to tell you the conclusion of what they just read.
Method 2 of 3: Teaching Children
Step 1. Read the story to your child
Read to them as often as possible, this teaches your child that reading is fun and introduces him to how to read. Reading to children can also be a good bond and will make them love books.
- You can start reading to children when they are toddlers. Use picture books, textured books, and bedtime story books for children. As they grow older, you can teach them an alphabet book or a book that rhymes with.
- Engage your child by asking him questions about both the content of the book and its pictures. Asking your child questions about the book you are reading together makes the whole experience more interactive and encourages the child to actually comprehend what he is seeing and reading. Invite children to be involved by asking questions about the contents of the book and the pictures. By asking questions, the process of learning to read becomes more interactive and supports children to understand what they are seeing and reading.
- With babies, you should try showing them certain pictures and asking things like “Did you see that tractor?” while pointing at the tractor. This will help their vocabulary, and keep them interacting during the reading process. As he develops, point to an animal such as a cat or a sheep and ask them to imitate the sound – such as “meow” or “muck”. This teaches babies to understand what they see, as well as entertainment!
Step 2. Set a good example
Even if your child shows an interest in reading from an early age, he will quickly lose interest if no one is reading or encouraging him to read at home. Children learn by example, so take a book and show your child that reading is something that adults enjoy too.
Even if you are very busy, try to make your child see that you are reading, for at least a few minutes each day. You don't need to read classic novels. Read newspapers, cook books, it's all up to you
Step 3. Look at the picture
Looking at picture books is a great way to build vocabulary and help children understand what's in the story. Before reading a new book, turn the pages, comment on the pictures. Show children how to find clues that help them read.
- Try asking questions they can answer through the pictures. For example, if there is a color word, ask which picture the word comes from.
- Praise them if the answer is correct, and ask questions again to support them if they start to give up.
Step 4. Use diversity
When it comes to choosing study materials, a mix of picture books they can read alone, books that are a little more difficult for you to read together, and other materials they can choose from such as magazines or comics.
- The use of a variety of learning materials and activities helps them to think that reading is a fun activity.
- Do you have a favorite book as a child that you would like to share with your child? The more you read a book, the more you will like it.
Step 5. Get creative
Creativity is needed when teaching young children. If your child is more stimulated by the learning process, it will be easier for you to grab their attention and they will learn faster. Think creatively and turn learning to read into a fun activity.
- Make drama. You can make reading stories fun and develop reading comprehension through drama. Tell the children that after reading the book, you will choose a character they like and play in the play. You can create short scenarios together, create props, and wear costumes or masks.
- Try making letters with Play-Doh (toy wax), writing on sand, or drawing on the carpet using a cleaning pipe.
Method 3 of 3: Teaching Adults
Step 1. Understand that teaching adults will be more difficult
Adults are not quick to learn new things and they will have a harder time remembering pronunciations and words that are easy for children to understand. After all, teaching adults is also a valuable experience. You just need time and patience.
- Unlike children, adults cannot spend hours in class every day. If they work and have families, they will only have a few hours per week to study. This will make the learning process take longer.
- Adults who cannot read may have bad experiences associated with them not being able to read, so it may be more difficult.
Step 2. Test their skills
To find out how to get started, you need to test the abilities of your current student. Exams can be done professionally or by asking students to read or write something they already know, and note where the difficulty lies.
- Continue to find out your student's level through the learning process.
- If he struggles with certain concepts or abilities, use it as a hint to concentrate more on them.
Step 3. Make them feel safe
Adults who cannot read are usually afraid of not being able to read. Many adults struggle because they lack self-confidence and are afraid of studying too late. Teach them confidence and make sure that nothing is too late.
- Make sure they are familiar with spoken language and prepare vocabulary for learning to read.
- Many adults have hidden their reading disability from teachers, family, and coworkers. Let them know there's nothing to be ashamed of anymore and that you respect their courage to come to you to learn to read.
Step 4. Use appropriate materials
When teaching adults, look for material that is not too childish. Keep in mind that children's books can be easy starting material, as they use simple words to show connections between letter patterns and pronunciation.
- Keep in mind that if you use materials that are too difficult, they may also give up easily.
- Use materials that are challenging but can still help students to develop their abilities and self-confidence.
Step 5. Make it relevant
Try to use material that is interesting and relevant to your students. By using relevant materials, you make the learning process less difficult and encourage them by demonstrating practical applications in learning to read.
- Try using traffic signs, newspaper articles, or restaurant menus when practicing.
- Use technology by sending your students a new word they need to learn via text message. This will make the learning process interesting and relevant to everyday life.
Tips
- Everyone can learn to read, no matter their age or school education level. One person must help another, and good results come from the willingness to learn and patience of the teacher who teaches.
- Students should be motivated and praised, whatever the effort.
- Intermittent but frequent learning processes can be more useful and less boring for both teachers and students. The daily learning process has proven to be more successful. Get used to the process so that the results are good.
- One approach may not work for all new learners. Combine several methods.
- Do it gradually.
- The subject of teaching must be interesting. This is important. Make sure the ideas/concepts of the lesson material are recognized by the students. Talk about the text before reading.
Warning
- One approach may not work for all new learners. Combine several methods.
- Different kinds of learning to read programs are usually based on different methods. You need to get a sound-based program in order to work with other materials that attract students' attention.
- Notice if the student cannot distinguish between letters and words. If you have other disabilities, seek professional help to identify them so you know how to properly teach them.
