Tips are techniques, methods or ways provided, adopted, copied or followed to get somewhere, get something done or achieve a goal. Reading is an act to verbalise inwardly or outwardly ideas, knowledge and information which have been put together as a combination of words, sentences and paragraphs on print as well as electronic media. However, for a young learner, reading should or would be done as outward verbalising of words. This is particular to when the young learners and their listeners can both hear what is being read out.
The part of our brain that is responsible for understanding the words read or heard is called "Language". In relation to this, childhood is a stage of early human development when children express various characters on relative bases. Childhood is divided into many stages, but we shall study five main stages in line with their reading abilities and the techniques to teach them. Let's follow a pedagogical pattern.
A. Early Childhood
This is such a stage where the young learners are physically and mentally dependent on and needing from others. "Others" here are parents and close family relatives who are older or elderly to the young learners in question.
Infancy (0 – 2 years)
Reading Focus: Listening, sound recognition, picture awareness
Reading Tips
Read aloud daily
Use short, rhythmic books even if the child cannot speak.
Hearing language builds brain pathways for future reading.
Use picture and board books
Bright pictures attract attention.
Point to objects and name them clearly.
Repeat books often
Repetition helps recognition and memory.
Babies enjoy familiarity and predictability.
Make reading interactive
Change voice tone, facial expressions, and gestures.
Encourage the child to touch pictures or turn pages.
2. Toddler Stage (2 – 4 years)
Reading Focus: Vocabulary growth, sound awareness, storytelling
Reading Tips
Encourage picture talk
Ask the child to name objects or actions in pictures.
Builds vocabulary and observation skills.
Use rhymes and songs
Nursery rhymes improve phonological awareness.
Helps children recognize sound patterns in words.
Let children handle books
Allow them to turn pages and point at words.
Builds book familiarity and confidence.
Relate stories to real life
Connect story events to the child's experiences.
Improves comprehension and interest.
3. Early Childhood / Preschool (4 – 6 years)
Reading Focus: Letter recognition, phonics, simple words
Reading Tips
Teach letter–sound relationships
Focus on sounds, not letter names alone.
Example: "b" sounds like /b/ in "ball".
Use simple and repetitive texts
Predictable sentence patterns help word recognition.
Encourages early independent reading.
Read together (shared reading)
Teacher/parent reads while the child follows.
Builds confidence and fluency.
Create a print-rich environment
Labels, charts, word cards around the room.
Encourages incidental reading.
4. Early Primary Stage (6 – 8 years)
Reading Focus: Fluency, decoding, basic comprehension
Reading Tips
Encourage daily independent reading
Short but regular reading time is better than long sessions.
Builds reading stamina.
Teach word-attack skills
Break unfamiliar words into syllables.
Use phonics and context clues.
Ask simple comprehension questions
Who? What? Where? When?
Helps children think about meaning, not just words.
Praise effort, not just accuracy
Encourage risk-taking with new words.
Builds reading confidence.
5. Middle Childhood (8 – 11 years)
Reading Focus: Comprehension, vocabulary, critical thinking
Reading Tips
Introduce different text types
Stories, poems, informational texts, newspapers.
Broadens knowledge and reading skills.
Teach vocabulary in context
Explain new words within the story.
Encourage dictionary use.
Encourage silent reading
Builds concentration and independence.
Follow up with discussion.
Discuss characters and ideas
Ask "Why did the character act this way?"
Develops inferential thinking.
6. Early Adolescence (11 – 14 years)
Reading Focus: Analysis, inference, abstract ideas
Reading Tips
Encourage reading for purpose
Research, projects, and problem-solving tasks.
Shows real-life value of reading.
Promote discussion and debate
Allow students to defend opinions from texts.
Strengthens reasoning and comprehension.
Teach note-taking and summarising
Helps manage longer texts.
Improves retention and understanding.
Respect reading interests
Allow choice (novels, biographies, magazines).
Motivation increases engagement.
Key General Tips (All Stages)
Create a positive reading environment
Avoid forcing or punishing reading
Be a reading role model
Encourage questions and curiosity
Combine reading with speaking and writing