All children, just beginning to read, benefit from using several approaches. The phonics method assigns a sound to each letter; children may also memorize words (called sight words) that cannot be sounded out easily. Some children will also recognize and "read" words by using the illustrations as clues. Also, the content of the story may sometimes lead to the recognition of new words. Another helpful way to make reading easier is to look at the vocabulary list before reading so that when the word appears in the text it may be recognized. For some, this might help to make reading smoother instead of a stop/start-again routine. By using various techniques or a combination of them, most children and their parents will find learning to read a positive and rewarding adventure.
The books suggestions on our Beginner Books list have limited vocabularies, and some have word lists in the back of the book. These books are appropriate for children just beginning to read independently.
