Reading Worksheets

Reading Worksheets - Easy to Make and Fun to Use

A worksheet is a piece of paper that contains questions, tasks, or practice exercises geared to a particular lesson. Both teachers and parents can use reading worksheets to help assess what a child has learned and to reinforce these new skills.

When your child completes a reading worksheet, this is an opportunity to see what skills she is acquiring. Go over the reading worksheet with your child, and you will also see what skills need strengthening.

You may also want to ask questions about these reading worksheets to learn if your child has any trouble understanding directions. Sometimes children make mistakes because they don't understand what is being asked.

Interactive reading worksheets are available online at many educational websites, including the Dositey website and Kids' Lab.

These offer fun computer games and are appealing to many children. They are not a substitute for printed reading worksheets, but they do provide enrichment in an exciting environment. Always check the sites first to make sure that answers are correct and activities are meaningful.

You will want to develop your own reading worksheets to work on particular skills or lessons. Start by downloading a few printable ones and adapting them to your needs. You can see examples on the Sylvan Learning website, at Improving Education, Inc., and at RHL School.

Personalize your worksheets by substituting your child's name and the names of other family members for names in exercises or stories. Create reading comprehension worksheets with stories that describe family events, pets, and hobbies. Reading worksheets that include puzzles appeal to many children and will motivate them to work enthusiastically.

You do not have to grade the worksheet. You may find it more productive to go over the exercises or questions, talk about them, give praise for correct answers, and help your child to make any corrections. Together you can focus on the areas that need work.

The more you adapt the worksheets to your child's needs and interests, the more motivated she will be to do the extra work. In fact, it will hardly seem like work at all.