Partnered Reading Helps Improve Reading

Reading is a complex process and most young children need a certain level of maturity to master the skills required to read fluently and with comprehension.

Some children struggle with reading and many experience frustration learning to read well on their own.

A very successful method of  assisting a slow or reluctant reader is partnered reading. 

What is partnered reading?

Basically, partnered reading uses an advanced reader (a parent or older sibling or advanced reader – I’ll use “mom” because I refer to my role in helping my youngest daughter in the image above) who sits shoulder to shoulder, or with the beginner reader on their lap and reads aloud first and then whisper-reads as the beginner reader reads the same passage aloud.

Very young children are happy to sit on mom or dad’s lap and read together. Reading should be an intimate and enjoyable time.  I found that my youngest child was far more relaxed sitting on my lap than next to me.   When on my lap, she would breathe with more ease and not squirm as much when she battled with her reading. I loved the security and comfort that I could give her just by cuddling her as she battled through her decoding.

Mom (the advanced reader) first reads the passage aloud (in a normal voice) to the child.  This helps the young reader understand the passage and recognize some of the words when they re-read the passage.

The young child then reads the passage aloud while mom whispers the same words right near the young child’s ear. The young reader should read aloud a  little louder than the helper.  They will hear the slight whispered echo and this whisper confirms what they are decoding and reading.

If the younger reader battles to read a word, the helper assists decoding (breaking up the word and sounding each phonic sound out) – mom points to each letter and sound the letters out.  Encourage the younger reader to sound it aloud with the helper and then let the young reader say the decoded phonic sounds fast and “put it together”. (e.g.: “ss …aa … tt… = sat” )

The next day review the passage with a quick recap, “Remember that we read how owl …?” The young reader reads the same passage with the whispered help of the partner. Practice the same reading section for a few days until the child reads fairly fluently.  With this repetition, the young reader begins to read with more confidence and fluency in each session.  If the child has mastered the passage or has become bored with the section or has just memorized the passage, go on to a new page and start afresh.

If the child makes more than 3 errors in a sentence, or still struggles with decoding, but has repeated the passage for several days, just move on and get on with the story.  Boredom and stress may just add to the sense of frustration.  If your child continues to struggle, you may need to stop the book and move to an easier reader.

Practical tips:

• The child should hold the book while they read.
• Place the book on a pillow for added comfort and better posture.
• The beginner reader should point under each word as he reads.  Use a finger or a pointer stick.
• Some children benefit by using a narrow cardboard strip as a row marker and cover the passage below the one they are reading.  This strip helps with eye tracking (moving  just the eyes and not the head) from left to right and prevents the child “getting lost” with the sentences above and below the one being read.
• If your child struggles with letter sounds or confuses letters, add some remediation activities in your schooling schedule.  Practice phonic skills, letter recognition games, matching letters, blending sounds, flashcards etc.  Practice directions and spatial awareness games as well.

• Teach your child simple sight words.  These simple, but common words are important to learn to recognize on sight and will help your child read better because they will not have to sound out every single word.  I have an excellent sight words and games and activities eBook available on my Packages page.
• If your child still makes no progress after some time, he/she may need professional assessment.  Sometimes, an occupational therapist can give excellent therapy exercises which greatly improve reading skills.
• Check your child’s eyes.  Many reading problems are wonderfully “solved” when all the child  needed was glasses.

After reading:

• Talk about the pictures on the page.  Look for all the details.
• Let the young reader re-tell the passage in their own words as accurately as possible.
• Ask them what they think will happen next.
• Ask them to tell you the most important part of what they just read.
• Ask them to draw the story.
• Ask “why” questions.  Comprehension is the most important aspect of all reading.  After all, we read to understand and learn.

I found this interesting article by examiner.com~

“If it’s true that children ‘learn to read’ from kindergarten through third grade and ‘read to learn’ from third grade through high school, then it stands to reason that those first few years of school are among the most important in a child’s life in terms of his or her academic future.

The bottom line? Parents have a near-sacred responsibility to read to their children — not occasionally, but DAILY. Reading aloud, pointing to pictures that represent the words being spoken and vice-versa, talking about the story — it’s all good, no matter how many times the giant falls down the beanstalk.  And the example you set for your child by taking the time out to do this, will pay off many times over.”

Enjoy these sweet moment with your young child in partnered reading!  All too soon your young reader will become an emergent reader and finally an independent reader and this phase will have served to build the greatest homeschool skill any one needs – reading to learn and no longer learning to read.

Blessings, Nadene

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