Reading at home: guides for parents

Practical guides for parents helping a child learn to read English at home, including families where English isn't the first language. Start with the reading fluency chart: it shows how many words per minute children read in each grade, with a free one-minute check. New readers can start with CVC words, the first words a child can sound out.

Reading speed and fluency

Fluency is reading accurately, at a comfortable pace, with natural expression. Words correct per minute is the easiest part to measure, and a good sign of how reading is going overall.

Reading fluency chart: words per minute by gradeHow many words per minute should a child read? Fluency norms for grades 1-6, a free 1-minute reading check to do at home, and how to help.

Sounding out words

Before a child reads fluently, they learn to decode: to turn letters into sounds and blend the sounds into words. Practise with stories built from the letter patterns your child already knows. When a word is too hard, say it quickly so the story keeps its flow.

CVC words: list by vowel and how to teach sounding outCVC words are the first words a child can sound out. A CVC word list for every short vowel, how to teach blending at home, and practice sentences.

Children learning English as a second language

Children who speak another language at home often find a few English sounds hard because their first language doesn't use them: "th" and "w" for many Turkish and Polish speakers, "p" for many Arabic speakers. That's normal. Short daily practice, with help on just those sounds, works better than long sessions.