Second Grade Phonics Tips: Read Together

Reading with your second grader isn’t just about practicing reading aloud—it’s also a great way to build critical thinking skills. Even if your child can read alone, reading chapter books together gives you a chance to spend time together, talk about big ideas, and work through more complex stories.

You can also use this time together to reinforce the phonics skills they are learning in school. Help them find examples of specific phonics skills like spelling patterns or blends as you read together.

To create a positive shared reading experience:

Choose a longer book with an interesting story or strong characters.

Read a chapter together each night and make time to talk about what you read.

Pause to ask open-ended questions like:
Why do you think the character did that?
What would you do if you were the character?
What do you think might happen next—and why?

These conversations help your child think more deeply, stay focused over time, and understand that books can have layers of meaning. Critical thinking takes practice, and you’re helping build it every time you discuss a book together.