All For Childrengrowing a reader: a guide for parents

An independent parents' guide to children's reading. We are not a school or a kindergarten, we don't sell books or courses, and we don't diagnose; we have no connection with the former site on this domain.

Glossary

Glossary

Teachers and speech-language pathologists speak a language of their own, and terms like "phonological awareness," "blending" or "supported retelling" can sound intimidating at first. On this page we explain them in everyday words. You don't need to know the terms to read with your child, but they make it easier to understand a specialist's advice and ask a precise question.

A child doesn't need to know the word "syllable" to happily clap out their own name. Terms are for grown-ups, not for kids.

— From the editors

How this section works: the terms are grouped into three sets — sounds and letters, reading, and the book. We give short definitions without scientific rigor and without assessing a child's development.

Sounds and letters

Sound
What we hear and say. Sounds are the basis of spoken language, and children get to know them long before they see letters.
Letter
A symbol used to represent a sound in writing. The same letter can sound different in different words, and some letters are silent altogether.
Phonological awareness
The ability to notice the separate sounds in words and hear how similar words differ from each other. Sound and rhyme games help build it.
Syllable
A part of a word said in a single push of the voice. Syllables are easy to clap or step out — that way a child hears the rhythm of a word.
Rhyme
Words whose endings sound alike. Finding rhymes is a fun game that teaches children to listen closely to how words sound.
Blending
Joining sounds together when reading, so the child doesn't say each sound separately but runs them together into a word. It's one of the first big steps in reading.

Reading

Reading aloud
Reading in which a grown-up reads to a child or a child reads to someone. For little ones, it's the main way to get to know books.
Shared reading
Reading in which both of you take part: you read, and your child points, chimes in, answers questions or reads their own part.
Taking turns reading
A technique where the grown-up and the child take turns reading parts of the text. The child takes what they can manage, and the grown-up reads the rest.
Reading comprehension
The ability not just to read the words but to grasp the meaning: who did what, why, and what came of it.
Retelling
Telling in your own words what you read or heard. It helps keep the order of events in mind and builds vocabulary.
Fluency
The ability to read smoothly, without long stops on every word. It comes gradually with practice, and it's best not to rush it.

The book

Picture book
A book in which the pictures tell the story alongside the text or instead of it. Great for looking closely and talking together.
Spread
The two facing pages of an open book that you see at the same time. In children's books, a spread is often designed as one big picture.
Illustration
A picture that explains or adds to the text. It helps a child imagine the characters and understand what's going on.
Nursery rhyme
A short rhythmic verse said aloud with actions, finger play or gentle rocking. One of a child's very first encounters with poetry.
Nonfiction book
A book about the real world: nature, machines, people, history. You can read it by interest rather than from cover to cover.
Typeface
The style of the letters in a book. For first independent attempts, a large, clear typeface with roomy lines is easier to read.
  • Lessons

    Lessons for parents: how to read aloud, talk about a book, play with sounds and meet letters without hurrying.

  • Practice

    Game-like activities for home: a week of sound games, retelling from pictures and signs that your child needs a break.

  • Methods

    Approaches to early reading in general terms, how to find the path that suits your child, and reading myths to question.

  • FAQ

    Answers about this guide, about reading at home, and about when and whom to ask if reading is a struggle.

Sources

  • Guidance materials for parents on early reading (in general terms)
  • Editorial materials of the All For Children guide

The advice in this guide is kept general and draws on guidance materials for parents and on children's library recommendations about reading as a family. Every child finds their way to books along their own path and at their own pace, so follow your child's interest and mood, and bring any questions about speech or reading to a teacher or a speech-language pathologist.