How to Teach a Child to Read by Kindergarten

Kids learn to read at different rates. Precocious children can identify dozens of sight words in kindergarten, while slower kids generally have some command of reading by third grade. Eventually, of course, nearly everyone reads at some level, with the US literacy rate at 99 percent, among the best in the world (though the fact that one out of a hundred people in America still can't read is, admittedly, somewhat depressing.)

Clearly, sooner is better for children when it comes to learning how to read. So what's it take to get a child reading by their first day of kindergarten?

1. Read to kids: Too many parents thoughtlessly park their children in front of the television for hours each day and then hope for the best with their academic development. Good luck with that. While "Sesame Street" and other programs can help a child some in their learning, a good parent takes an active role in teaching their son or daughter. Among the most active forms of teaching is reading aloud to a child, pointing out the spelling of different words, teaching kids pronunciation and dramitization. In time, they can do the same.

2. Limit non-educational television programming: In the same vein as the answer above, for every "Sesame Street," there may be a dozen programs aimed at kids with little or no educational value, cartoons with scant purpose beyond selling the toys they promote. These shows are foul temptresses for any parent. Sure, they can make a cheap babysitter or even a fill-in friend (sad as that sounds), but they also represent dead time in a child's learning life. Kids learn more by turning off the TV and drawing a picture, building LEGO, or playing outside.

3. Make flash cards of sight words: The brains of young children are like sponges in their first few years of their lives, taking in mountains of information and learning basic things like walking and talking. In that respect, it's a perfect time for a parent to make perhaps a few dozen flash cards and become a reading tutor, work with their kids on learning some very basic words: "cat", "dog", "apple", "ball", that sort of thing.

4. Enroll a child in preschool: Studies abound on the value of preschool for a child's future prospects in life, more studies than can be quoted here, in fact. In short for our purposes, though, preschool is a place where kids can learn the alphabet, maybe a few basic sight words, and dramatically improve their ability to converse with other children. It's a training ground for future lawyers and motivational speakers, and it's cheaper than tutoring.

5. Have a child attempt to read aloud: This isn't about getting a copy of "War and Peace" and torturing a four-year-old. Heck, Leo Tolstoy could make even adult readers cry in frustration. On the other hand, having a kid attempt the occasional word of the picture book their parent is reading them at bedtime can work wonders. It can provide positive reinforcement and confidence building, among other things.