Follow the Words
Here's What To Do
1
Encourage your child to use their fingers and eyes to point to and follow the words while you’re reading together.
2
Show them how to move their fingers and eyes from left to right across the page, and down each line as you do it together.
3
They don’t have to accurately point to each word as you read. They’re just developing hand-eye control and learning that written words can be read and spoken out loud.
Put PEER Into Action
P
Pause:
- Invite your child to choose the book they’d like to read with you.
E
Engage:
- “Let’s read ___.”
- “You can help me by pointing to the words while we’re reading!”
E
Encourage:
- Show your child how to point to the words from left to right, and from the top to the bottom of the page.
- Point to the words together while you read. “Let’s put our finger here to start and move our fingers across like this while I read.”
R
Reflect:
- “What was your favorite part of the book?”
Not quite ready?
Introduce written words by just pointing to random words on a page together.
Ready for more?
Invite your child to follow along with the words independently.
As your child masters this skill...
They will demonstrate hand-eye control with books.