Pick a book your child can almost read
The best book is one where your child already knows nearly every word. If a page has more than a few words they can’t guess from the picture, the story stops being a story and becomes a list of words to decode. Aim for one or two new words per book, not per page.
Read the same book three ways
- First, just listen. Let the narrator read while your child watches. Don’t stop to explain. The pictures and the story carry the meaning.
- Second, read along. Read it again together. When your child points at a word, say it, then let them tap it and hear it slowly.
- Third, let them lead. Your child reads, and taps any word they’re unsure of. You’re the audience now.
Three readings over a few evenings is better than one long session. Children love repetition; it’s how they notice that the same word keeps meaning the same thing.
Ask one question per page
After each page, stop and ask something open: “What do you see?”, “How does Bun feel?”, “What would you do?”. Answers in your home language are fine. The goal is for your child to think about the story, not to perform English.
A good question has no single right answer. “Why is Bun sad?” beats “What colour is the stone?”.
Don’t translate the new word, show it
If the new word is glow, resist saying the translation straight away. Point at the moon when it begins to glow. Turn a lamp on and off. Let your child work it out; the word will stick far better than a translation would.
Take one word out of the book
New words become real when they show up in everyday life. At bedtime, turn off the light and say “Look, the moon can glow.” When a room is dark, say “It’s so dim in here.” One word used at home is worth ten words on a card.
Keep it short and end on a good note
- Ten to fifteen minutes is plenty for ages 3 to 7.
- Stop while your child still wants more. Tomorrow’s reading starts with “Can we read Pip again?”.
- Your accent is fine. Your child is learning that reading together is warm and fun, and that matters more than any single sound.
Want to try it tonight? Read Pip and the Tiny Light, free.