First grade is a critical year for reading development. Your child is moving beyond letter recognition and starting to blend sounds, decode words, and build fluency. (Decode: figuring out how to read a word by looking at the letters and the sounds they make; Fluency: smoothly decoding words, reading at an appropriate pace, and using inflection and phrasing to convey the meaning of the text effectively).
But reading doesn’t come naturally to most children—it requires extra practice and support to gain confidence and develop strong skills. The Science of Reading tells us that early readers need structured practice in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
As a reading coach, I teach reading skills using a curriculum based on The Science of Reading and have seen how these principles have helped so many children make progress in their reading. In my online classroom, early readers develop strong foundational reading skills and advance through multiple reading levels via school assessments. Most of all, I get the opportunity to witness children get a wonderful confidence boost and start to get enjoyment from reading!
You can support your child’s learning in fun and engaging ways. Whether your child loves books or is hesitant to read, these 10 effective strategies with a basis in The Science of Reading will help them build strong reading skills.
1. Read Aloud Every Day
Reading aloud is one of the best ways to support your child’s literacy skills.
Reading aloud helps with:
- Expanding vocabulary
- Developing listening comprehension
- Understanding sentence structure and story flow
To make read-aloud time even more engaging:
- Read with appropriate expression, enthusiasm, and use different voices for characters.
- Ask questions as you read: “Would you ever try what the character in this story tried?”
- Let your child watch you follow along with your finger as you read in order to connect spoken and written words.
Reading aloud to your child exposes children to a good example of reading and makes reading time an experience they get to share with you!
2. Build Phonemic Awareness with Word Play
Before a child can read, they must understand that words are made up of individual sounds (phonemes). Phonemic awareness is key to decoding words.
Try these simple activities:
- Rhyming games – Think of as many rhymes for a word as you can. You can start with the word mat and take turns with your child to come up with additional rhymes. (cat – sat – hat, etc.)
- Sound blending – “Can you guess this word? /s/ – /u/ – /n/” (sun).
- Clap out syllables in words (e.g., ba-na-na = 3 claps).
These playful exercises strengthen your child’s ability to hear and alter sounds, a foundational reading skill.
3. Focus on Phonics and Decoding
Phonics teaches children how letters and sounds work together to form words. First graders need planned, purposeful phonics instruction to begin to understand how reading works.
Help your child practice by:
- Using magnetic letters or letter tiles to build simple words.
- Playing “Change the Sound” – Start with “cat,” then swap letters to make “bat” and “hat”.
- Reading decodable books that reinforce phonics patterns.
- Some decodable book options include:
- A Pig, a Fox, and a Box: A good book for beginners that uses short vowel sounds.
- BOB Books: A series of books that use simple, repetitive language and basic sight words.
- Hello Decodables: A set of 60 books that progress from simple to complex skills.
Phonics practice helps children get to the place where they can decode words independently more often, making reading easier and more enjoyable.
4. Use Reading Games to Reinforce Skills
Reading games make learning exciting and help with sight word recognition, phonics, and fluency. (Sight words: words that readers can recognize without sounding them out. They are common words that appear frequently in reading and writing).
Try these engaging literacy games:
- Sight word bingo – Mark off words as they’re called out.
- Word scavenger hunt – Write sight words on flash cards. Hide them and have your child find and read words around the house.
- Roll and read – Roll a die and read a word from the matching column that corresponds with the number you rolled. (You can print out a chart for this game by searching “roll and read printable” on google).
A little play-based learning can keep your child engaged and excited about reading!
5. Teach Sight Words in Context
Sight words (e.g., the, said, were) are high-frequency words that don’t always follow phonics rules. Memorizing them helps with reading fluency.
To reinforce sight words:
- Introduce a few words at a time.
- Use flashcards, sticky notes, or word walls.
- Have your child find sight words in books.
Seeing these words in context helps kids recognize them automatically while reading.
6. Encourage Writing to Strengthen Reading
Reading and writing go hand in hand! Writing helps kids connect sounds, letters, and words, reinforcing what they learn in reading.
Ways to incorporate writing:
- Encourage daily journaling (even simple sentences!)
- Have your child write grocery lists, birthday cards, or labels for their toys.
- Use fun writing materials like colored pens, whiteboards, or chalk.
Spelling doesn’t have to be perfect! Writing while sounding out words builds confidence and helps with phonics and word recognition.
7. Improve Fluency with Repeated Reading
Fluency means reading smoothly, accurately, and with expression. First graders become more fluent readers by practicing the same text multiple times.
Try these strategies:
- Echo reading – You read a sentence, then your child repeats it.
- Choral reading – Read together out loud at the same time.
- Use familiar books – Rereading favorite books builds fluency and a connection with particular stories.
Fluent readers spend less effort decoding words, allowing them to focus on understanding what they are reading.
8. Build Comprehension with Questions & Discussions
Reading isn’t just about recognizing words—it’s about understanding and thinking critically.
Help your child develop comprehension skills by asking:
- “What happened in the story?” (Summarizing)
- “Why do you think the character felt that way?” (Making inferences)
- “What would you do if you were in the story?” (Making connections)
Encouraging these discussions helps kids become thoughtful, engaged readers.
9. Use Reading Apps and Digital Tools Wisely
Technology can be a great supplemental learning tool—when used in moderation!
Some high quality literacy apps include:
- Starfall – Fun phonics practice.
- Epic! – A digital library of books.
- Teach Your Monster to Read – Phonics-based reading games.
Use these tools to reinforce skills, but always balance screen time with reading physical books.
10. Consider an Online Reading Tutor for Extra Support
Consider incorporating a tutor if your child is struggling with:
- Sounding out words
- Remembering sight words
- Reading fluently and with confidence
An online reading tutor can provide structured, one-on-one instruction tailored to their needs:
- Expert guidance in phonics, decoding, and comprehension
- Interactive, engaging lessons that are tailored to your learner
- Flexible scheduling for busy families
At Savvy Learning, our reading tutors specialize in the Science of Reading and help first graders build essential skills in a fun, supportive way.
Final Thoughts
Helping your first grader learn to read doesn’t have to be overwhelming! With daily reading, phonics instruction, games, and writing activities, you can make learning to read not only effective, but also something your child looks forward to.
- Keep learning engaging and interactive.
- Be patient and encouraging—every child learns at their own pace.
- If extra support is needed, consider an online reading tutor for personalized help.
Want expert guidance? Contact Savvy Learning today to learn how our online reading tutors can help your child gain the skills and confidence they need to become a strong reader!
