Helping your child develop excellent reading skills is extremely important for their academic success. One on one time and attention with your child will help them become better strategic and effective readers. Parents are a key factor in helping their child move from beginner reader to fluent reader. The parent knows their child best and can help their child locate the best reading materials to meet their needs and interests.

10 Steps To Develop Reading Skills:

1. Schedule regular daily reading time.
Reading out loud regularly to children will produce significant gains in reading. By daily reading your child will build up their comprehension, vocabulary, and word decoding. If the child is a preschooler or preteen, reading regularly will increase their interest in independently reading and will build their skill, speed and knowledge base.

Follow up:

2. Create an environment where children have plentiful reading material at hand.
Kids that have plentiful reading materials score higher on standardized test. Surround your child's environment with magazines, interesting and appealing books. Keep materials in the cars, bedrooms, TV Room, bathrooms. When your child is waiting for an appointment have their favorite reading material at hand to read during wasted waiting time.

3. Set up family reading time.
A family should read together for 15 to 30 minute every day. Silently reading together. Your child will see you read and this will inspire your children to read too. Daily practice is sufficient to increase reading fluency.

4. Encourage versatility in reading activities.
Reading should be an integral part of your child life. Read menus, signs, game directions, weather reports, movie time listings, and other practical everyday information.

5. Library habits are good to develop.
Enjoy helping your children to read more! The library is an excellent place to spend time reading and finding new materials. Take advantage of library reading programs for children! These programs may appeal to your children and further develop their interest in reading.

6. Be knowledgeable about the progress of your child's reading skills.
Know what grade level your child should be reading on. Ask their teacher and they should be able to guide you. The school's curriculum also is a source for this information. Track their basic reading skills by the progress demonstrated on basic reading tests, report cards and standardized tests.

7. Watch for reading problems.
Serious reading problems are not always found or detected early. Don't trust that teachers will find or notice a reading problem. Serious problems can go unnoticed. Listen to see if your child can sound out words, know sight words, use context to identify unknown words, and clearly understand what they read.

8. Early intervention for children with reading problems.
Reading problems will not go away on there own. Earlier intervention for children with reading problems and helping your child to receive the help is critical. With intervention, your child will be more likely to become a good readers. Make sure your child receives the necessary help from teachers and private tutors as soon as you discover a problem. Don't try to take on this burden alone.

9. Help reading become interesting for children.
Textbooks, computer programs, books-on-tape, and games are fun and provide as a good resource for children to build their reading skills and have fun too. This is a great opportunity to help your child and enjoy being involved with them in the learning process!

10. Enthusiasm, Pride and Praise your child's reading along the growth stage.
Your child will know when you are genuine with your praise of their reading skills! Be a positive influence as they work through the hard task of becoming good readers. Be sure to praise your child on their efforts and tell them you are proud of their hard work!