I want to preface this blog by stating that I am not a teacher by profession nor an expert on literacy. However, I often get inquiries about how Nusayba learned to read fluently at a young age. I can only speak to my own experiences, so I will share what I consider helpful tips on developing reading proficiency in young children.
Nusayba has been reading short three-letter words since before she turned three and now at age four she can read polysyllabic words like “discriminate” and entire books on her own. Often, when we leave her to her own devices, we will find her reading alone in her room.
One caveat before I move into my list—we, as parents, can’t take credit for it all. I do believe Nusayba’s natural aptitude played a role in her rapid development as a reader. That doesn’t mean your kid has either got it or they don’t. I mean to say that there’s no need to feel discouraged if your kid isn’t reading before they start school. They all have their own strengths and talents and learn different knowledge and skills at their own pace. It always clicks at some point. That said, here are some simple strategies that helped us nurture Nusayba’s reading skills:
1. Make reading part of everything
Reading should not be a time bound activity that only occurs at bedtime. In fact, when you only read before bed, I think it sends the message that reading is supposed to lull you into inactivity. With Nusayba, we have always had books at the dining table, books in the car, books for the restaurant, books for the bathtub…you get it. Make books a fixture in all aspects of their lives so they naturally find themselves picking up some reading and find comfort in books.
2. If possible, allow interruptions for reading
We both work from home, which means intrusions from kids during the workday are unavoidable. Both Nusayba and Halima bring us books and essentially demand we read to them immediately. It can be stressful, especially when you’re coming up on a deadline. Nevertheless, we often interrupt the flow of our day to stop and read that book. I see it as seizing the teaching moment. Your kid is communicating to you that they are ready to be fully engaged in this activity at this particular time. A board book usually takes only 5-7 minutes to read, but you’ll leave a lasting impression.
Of course, it’s not always feasible. At these times, compromise and teamwork are your best bets. Maybe if you’re truly too busy, your spouse can pause their activities to read instead. Maybe you can convince your kid to choose a shorter book. Or you can agree to read in a few minutes. For Nusayba, she holds us to this by setting a timer and returning to redeem her reading time. Show your child that reading with them is a priority for you.
3. Ignore reading age recommendations
Some people may disagree with me on this, but we absolutely do not care about the recommended reading age of a book. We obviously make sure a book is appropriate from a content and subject matter perspective, but we never allow big words or lengthy paragraphs to deter us from reading a book that would feed our child’s interest. Read books with difficult words and stop to explain and discuss. In my experience, the kid benefits from exposure to challenging vocabulary.
Assume your child is an intelligent being with a capacity to learn. Put new words in context for them. Connect them to ideas and things they already understand, extend their understanding to how the word applies to the book, and challenge them a little. You know your kid best and how much challenge they can handle.
I read the first three Harry Potter books with Nusayba before she turned four and her grasp of the narrative and ability to retain the details has been astonishing ma sha Allah. I may have skipped some words that I didn’t feel were age appropriate, like “fat,” “stupid,” or “shut up,” but other than that, the age recommendation was not a hindrance. The only reason we aren’t moving in to the next books is due to content concerns.
4. Let out your inner thespian
Maybe your kids don’t watch TV. Mine are allowed some daily screen time. I try to make sure that my readings are as entertaining and animated as whatever my kid watches.
I get into the characters, I do voices, I become a different person. We have a book with a duck character and I use a Daffy duck lisp voice. Nusayba absolutely loves my gum-chewing, loud Violet Beauregard, and my terrifying basilisk. I sometimes read Madeline in a French accent.
Nusayba will imitate this when she reads independently. It’s not just adorable but it also helps her understand punctuation, intonation, and context.
5. Build up to proficiency at your child’s pace
It always starts with the basics of letter recognition and sound mapping before your child can actually read words. Build in games throughout your day testing your child’s ability to identify letters and connect the sounds they hear to letters. For example, while eating lunch, play a reading-based version of “I spy.”
“I spy something that starts with ‘W.’”
Nusayba used to play with a lot of alphabet learning toys, such as alphabet index cards, a Leapfrog laptop, a magnetic alphabet board. Never apps though.
Now, I allow Nusayba to play some educational games on Khan Academy Kids, but prior to this, I avoided screens. I’m no expert, but I feel that other modes of learning engage more parts of the brain than a screen. Humans were reading before iPads, so your kid doesn’t need that to learn.
6. Finally, lead by example
My husband insisted I include this point. Be sure that your child sees you reading independently as well. Show your child reading is enjoyable by choosing to sit down with a book rather than switching on the TV. If your kid sees you as a reader, then that will help develop their identity as a reader as well.
I hope you find these tips useful. You may not agree to all my strategies and that’s okay. All kids are different and this is all based on my specific child and what has helped her develop.
Golden Butterfly Books 