The Ultimate Reading Program For Kindergarten To Prevent Reading Failure

March 2, 2020

The Ultimate Reading Program For Kindergarten To Prevent Reading Failure

For many years, the idea of introducing reading and writing in kindergarten seemed to be unnecessary. Most schools probably would not introduce the idea of a reading program for kindergarten but wait until first grade. The focus in kindergarten is often recognizing the alphabet and sounds (phonemic awareness and phonics).  However, today many schools are making kindergarten increasingly academic and introducing reading skills earlier.

Keep in mind that there is a lot of material out there on how to help your child with reading. While introducing reading skills this early may not necessarily guarantee advanced reading skills later, it is a good preventative measure against reading struggles later on. Building a reading program at home for your kindergartener is all about learning while having fun. 

How do you start a reading program at home?

Developing a reading program at home can help you to track your child’s reading progress and also show them to make reading a priority. There are many creative ways to help your child read. Here are some tips for parents on starting a reading program at home:

  1. Create a home library – You should build a home library that has a variety of reading materials at different levels. 
  2. Set a schedule – In order for a home reading program to work, you need to stick to a schedule. Having a set time to read at home can give your child’s reading instruction some structure. 
  3. Set goals – Just like anything new, reading takes practice. Setting some reading goals can help track progress and motivate them to practice. 
  4. Use reading journals – A great way to track progress is to create reading folders with progress reports that your child and you can fill out together. This is also where you want to write down reading goals and lists of books. 
  5. Keep it simple – Don’t overcomplicate your reading program by using too many worksheets or things that appear like “work”. Most kindergarteners are likely not coming home with any intensive homework assignments. Keep your reading program all about having fun and enjoying reading. 
  6. Use reading apps –  Reading apps are a great way to make reading fun and interactive. Use reading apps such as Readability which helps with all the different reading skills like pronunciation, reading comprehension, and fluency.

reading program for kindergarten

What should my child be able to read in kindergarten?

By the end of kindergarten, your child should be able to recognize about 52 sight words. Along with recognizing sight words, they are on their way to improving these three reading skills

  • Phonemic awareness – In kindergarten, your child is starting to become aware of the different individual sounds that make up a word. 
  • Phonics –  Phonics links the ability to recognize individual sounds and create words with them. Recognizing separate sounds and knowing how to put them together will help them learn words they are unfamiliar with in the future. 
  • Reading ComprehensionAt the kindergarten level, reading comprehension is being able to recognize words and linking them to their meaning. For example, seeing the word “apple” and knowing it means the fruit.

How can I improve my reading skills for kindergarten?

  • Read for fun – Reading skills at kindergarten are more so about building a foundation for your child to be successful later. Reading at this stage should incorporate a lot of playtime. 
  • Don’t pressure your child – Since reading at this stage is really just supposed to be an introduction to reading, don’t pressure your child if they are struggling or don’t feel like reading. Again keep things simple and let them come around to reading at their own pace. 
  • Keep an eye out for problem areas – Most students who show early signs of struggling with reading are able to read at their grade level if they are given reading help early on. This is a great moment to recognize some potential problem areas with their reading skills. 
  • Use a reading app– Many kindergarteners might struggle with reading but most of them are already familiar with using a tablet or smartphone. Readability is a great tool to use to help introduce your kindergartener to reading. The app has a collection of original stories that make reading fun and interactive. This app essentially provides your child with a private reading tutor right at their fingertips. 

While some might argue that reading instruction in kindergarten might not necessarily have a direct link to reading success in later grades, it is a great way to introduce the idea of reading to your child. The key to a successful reading program for kindergarteners is to keep things simple and fun. Keep the pressure of reading out of it and just enjoy reading with them.