Tartt Tips
Tartt Tip #1
I wanted to highlight the importance of reading together with your child. Engaging in this activity can enhance vocabulary and foster a greater interest in reading. Additionally, it helps build a sense of support and boosts your child's confidence.
Tartt Tip #2
Don't limit reading to just books; encourage your child to read anything they find interesting, such as comic books, magazines, and newspapers
Tartt Tip # 3
Ask questions as you and your child reads.
Ask your child questions and have them ask you questions too. You can also ask them to guess what will happen next.
Tartt Tip #4
Make writing materials available so your child can practice creative and basic hand writing.
Tartt Tip #5
Make connections
Help your child make connections between what they read and what happens in real life.
Tartt Tip #6
Praise efforts
Praise your child's efforts, whether they are fluently reading or not. Praise them every time they are caught reading!
Tartt's Tip #7
Give your child a choice
Let children choose the books they want to read. You can create a reading interest list to help with this.
Tartt Tip #8
Read the news together. Establish a routine for reviewing current events around the world. Ask your child how they feel about the headlines and encourage them to form opinions.
Tartt Tip #9
Play games that utilize reading. If you have a family game night, try incorporating word- and vocabulary-based games, like Scrabble or Boggle. Completing crosswords or word searches in the morning is another opportunity for learning new words and practicing spelling.
Tartt Tip #10
Continue to read during the holidays, while baking in the kitchen together or while wrapping presents, crafting, etc. You could also have someone in your family read out loud. Someone could be the designated reader, or you could take turns.
Tartt Tip #11
I wanted to share an idea that has worked wonderfully for my family: reading a book together and then watching the movie adaptation afterward. It’s one of our favorites! I find that having a movie night planned as a follow-up creates extra motivation for children to engage with the reading.
Tartt Tip # 12
Assign your child to draw a “picture annotation” where they draw or sketch a picture (yes, stick figures are fine!) of the main idea of the scene and then they have to label all the parts and people, etc. with actual words from the story they are reading.
Tartt Tip #13 Provide access to audiobooks. Books on tape are an easy way to connect your child with the rhythms and pace of a story — and they’re surprisingly successful among this age group. Tartt Tip #14 Read Aloud with Expression A strategy to implement is teaching your child to use their voices when reading. If they read a sentence with an exclamation point at the end, they should read it in an excited voice. If they read a sentence with a question mark at the end, they should use an interrogative voice. This takes very little practice, but it helps them understand what they are reading better by engaging in the text. Tartt Tip #15 Keep your reading space separate from other spaces. A reading space should be a space for just that—reading. Conversations, toys, activities, or even too much movement can interfere with your child's ability to focus. Even if the reading space is part of another room, dedicate a corner or a small section of the room for the sole purpose of reading. Keep it full of different genres of reading materials. Tartt #16 Continue to read to your child and model what good readers do (stop and think aloud, wonder about things out loud, etc.) Tartt Tip # 17 As much as children love receiving and reading graphic novels, they also can find joy in writing them as well. Your child can create a graphic novel of their own and gift it to a sibling or friend. Tartt Tip #18 As a fun activity, I encourage you to create a top ten book list with your child, including your favorite books as well. Display this list on your refrigerator and consider updating it weekly or monthly to keep the excitement alive. Tartt Tip #19 Leave reading material in the car. Pack a bag with books, magazines — whatever your child likes to read — for quick grab-and-read opportunities. Tartt Tip # 20 If your child is struggling or bored with a book, let them put it down. Reading is meant to be fun, and the more kids enjoy their books, the more likely they are to keep reading. Dr. Tartt
Tartt Tip #13 Provide access to audiobooks. Books on tape are an easy way to connect your child with the rhythms and pace of a story — and they’re surprisingly successful among this age group. Tartt Tip #14 Read Aloud with Expression A strategy to implement is teaching your child to use their voices when reading. If they read a sentence with an exclamation point at the end, they should read it in an excited voice. If they read a sentence with a question mark at the end, they should use an interrogative voice. This takes very little practice, but it helps them understand what they are reading better by engaging in the text. Tartt Tip #15 Keep your reading space separate from other spaces. A reading space should be a space for just that—reading. Conversations, toys, activities, or even too much movement can interfere with your child's ability to focus. Even if the reading space is part of another room, dedicate a corner or a small section of the room for the sole purpose of reading. Keep it full of different genres of reading materials. Tartt #16 Continue to read to your child and model what good readers do (stop and think aloud, wonder about things out loud, etc.) Tartt Tip # 17 As much as children love receiving and reading graphic novels, they also can find joy in writing them as well. Your child can create a graphic novel of their own and gift it to a sibling or friend. Tartt Tip #18 As a fun activity, I encourage you to create a top ten book list with your child, including your favorite books as well. Display this list on your refrigerator and consider updating it weekly or monthly to keep the excitement alive. Tartt Tip #19 Leave reading material in the car. Pack a bag with books, magazines — whatever your child likes to read — for quick grab-and-read opportunities. Tartt Tip # 20 If your child is struggling or bored with a book, let them put it down. Reading is meant to be fun, and the more kids enjoy their books, the more likely they are to keep reading. Dr. Tartt