The Editor, Sir:

With so many parents desperate to help their children develop better reading and comprehension skills, coupled with the inability to afford special reading classes, here are some tested and proven tips:

The first step is to recognise that your child has a problem. Many children come to school from homes lacking early language stimulation (ages 0-3) which is fundamental to build a child's experiential background so that the print will have relevance. You can do this by reading to them, providing them with big, picture books, the learning games and educational toys, taking them to visit places of interest and teaching them proper word for everyday 'yard talk.'

Reading aloud

When your child reads for you at home, they must read aloud. Reading too low hides their weaknesses. 'Calling words is not reading. That is word identification or word recognition. Reading must have fluency and comprehension. After reading a piece of literature, discuss the main idea, characters, story setting and order of events with them. They should be able to tell you generally what the story was about without looking back in the story. (This develops the most important aspect of reading-their meaning vocabulary.

Label things around the house. Place some flash cards with problem words on the wall in your child's room. When your child comes upon a difficult or unfamiliar word, assist them in breaking it up in syllables. This way they will be more accustomed to syllabication as a word attack skill.

Students in grades four to five should start reading newspaper articles. Let your child see you reading, Showing them the importance of reading as you read the newspaper, road signs, bills, bank statements, mails, the Bible, magazines, comics strips and newspaper.

I am, etc.,

ANDREW CAMPBELL

tallboybruce@yahoo.com

Portmore