Filled with hands-on activities that progress a child from sounds to words to sentences to books, this friendly guide shows you how to: * Prepare a child to read * Sharpen his listening skills * Correct her errors graciously * Choose the right books * Have kids read out loud * Find help if you need it Whether the child you want to teach is two or twelve; fast paced or steady; an absolute beginner or someone who's begun but could use a little help, this empathetic book shows you how to adapt the simple, fun activities to your child's individual needs. You'll see how to make activities age appropriate, how to add more challenge or support, and how to make gender allowances if that's relevant. Plus, you'll discover how to: * Lay the foundation for good reading skills * Tell the difference between a reading delay and a reading problem * Help your child build words from letters and sounds, advance to short and long vowel words, and conquer syllables and silent letters * Select entertaining workbooks, recycle them, and make up your own reading activities * Get your child ready for sentences * Keep your child reading with others or on his own Complete with lists of word families, phonics rules, and reading resources, Teaching Kids to Read For Dummies will help you make learning fun for your child as he or she develops this critical skill!