Helping Your Child Read Fluently: From Syllables to Sentences

Once children know letters and their sounds, the next step is to blend letters into syllables, words and sentences. In Indonesian, the regular syllable patterns make this process easier.

Order of learning

• Open syllables: ba, bi, bu, be, bo. Practise with one consonant first.
• Two-syllable words: bola, buku, bibi.
• Words with closed syllables: bulan, kambing.
• Short sentences: “Ibu membaca buku.”
• Short illustrated stories.

Practising at home

• Write syllables on cards and combine them into words.
• Take turns reading: you read one sentence, your child reads one sentence.
• Point at each word with a finger so the eyes follow along.
• Repeat the same words for a few days until they feel familiar.
• Look for words with the same syllable, such as bola, bulan, buku.

Understand, not just sound out

After reading, ask: “Who is in the story? What happened?” Reading aims at meaning, not just saying the sounds.

Be patient with the process

Children read at different speeds. Ten minutes a day usually helps more than one long weekly session. If you are worried about your child’s reading progress, talk to the teacher.

Reading material

After syllables and words, your child is ready to try short stories. See the reading stories and the letters and reading worksheets.