Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

From Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

A Blog by Dr. Gary G. Brannigan and Dr. Howard Margolis

Paired Reading: A Guide For Parents—Part I

Keith Topping. Ph.D.

In March, we published two posts on Paired Reading. Consequently, several  parents and teachers wanted more information. Graciously, Dr. Keith Topping, Director of the Centre for Paired Learning and Graduate Educational Psychology at the University of Dundee, Scotland, allowed us to republish his guide.

First we’ll briefly describe Paired Reading, Then, in the next two posts, we’ll provide Dr. Topping’s guide, with slight modifications.

The Description

In Paired Reading, “the parent and child begin reading aloud together and continue until the child makes an error. The parent supplies the correct word, the child repeats the word and rereads the sentence, and simultaneous (“duet”) reading continues. When the child feels ready to read alone, he or she gives a prearranged signal [e.g., a thumb up], and the parent stops reading while the child continues” (Rathvon, 2008, p. 193).

The Guide

Paired Reading is a very good way for parents to help with their children’s reading. It works well with most children and their reading gets a lot better. Also, Paired Reading fits in very well with the teaching at school, so children don’t get mixed up. Most children really like it—it helps them want to read.

What You Need

Books

Your child should choose the book. Your child can choose books from home, school, or the library. He can also choose newspapers, magazines, or other items he wants  to read.

Your child will soon pick the right book. Children learn to read better from books they like. Don’t worry if the book seems too hard. In Paired Reading, you help your child through the hard bits. He’ll soon learn to pick books that aren’t too hard.

Your child can change books. If your child gets fed up with a book, and wants to change it, that’s O.K. If the book is boring, he’ll probably choose more carefully next time.

Time

Try very hard to do Paired Reading nearly every day, even if only for 5 minutes. Aim for 5 days per week. Don’t do more than 15 minutes unless your child wants to carry on. Don’t make him do Paired Reading when he really want to do something else.

If you don’t have the time to do Paired Reading 5 days a week, a grandmother or grandfather or older brother or sister or even friends and neighbours can help. They must all do Paired Reading in just the same way, though, or your child will get mixed up.

Place

Find a place that’s quiet. Children can’t read when it’s noisy, or when there’s lots going on. Get away from the TV, or turn it off.

Find a place that’s comfy. If you’re not comfortable, you’ll both be shifting about. Then you won’t be able to look carefully at the book together.

Get close—reading together can be very warm and snugly. You both need to be able to see the book easily—or one of you will get neck-ache!

New Ways of Helping

It’s often harder for parents to learn new ways than it is for children! With Paired Reading, these are hardest things for parents to get used to:

• When your child gets a word wrong, just tell him what the word says. You say the word right, then he says it after you. DON’T make your child struggle and struggle, or “break it up” or “sound it out.” Don’t worry if you come to a word neither of you are sure about –just look it up or ask someone.
• Don’t jump in and give your child the word right away. Give him 4 or 5 seconds to get it right. If, however, he zooms straight past a mistake without noticing it, you may have to point out mistakes a bit quicker.
• When your child gets words right, smile, say “good,” show you’re pleased. Praise him for reading hard words correctly, getting all the words in a sentence right, and correcting errors before you do (called self correction). But when he gets words wrong, DON’T nag and fuss about his mistakes.
• Sometimes you should point to words, but not always. On a hard book, or when your child is tired or not concentrating well, pointing might help. But point only when necessary, not all the time. And if your child can do it rather than you, let him.  Sometimes it’s best that both of you point. Here’s the guiding principle: Avoid frustration while promoting competence and independence.

Talking and Listening

Show interest in the book your child chose. Talk about the pictures. Talk about what’s in the book as he goes through it. It’s best if you talk at the end of a page or section, so your child doesn’t lose track of the story. Ask him what might happen next. And listen to him. Listen intently, with the aim of understanding what he’s saying and connecting with him—try to let him do most of the talking.

Talking and listening are very important – it shows your interest in what your child is reading. It also checks on his understanding without seeming like a “test.”

References

Rathvon, N. (2008). Effective School Interventions (2^nd ed.). Evidence-Based Strategies for Improving Student Outcomes. NY: The Guilford Press.

(c) Keith Topping, Ph.D.

Edited by Howard Margolis, Ed.D.,  Reading2008 & Beyond, www.reading2008.com