This is a very common jump. Your child has not forgotten how to read; they have met a new set of signs. Once they know them, reading becomes smooth again.
The new signs, and how to read them
| Sign | Example | How to read |
|---|---|---|
| Small standing alif (ٰ) | الرَّحْمٰنِ | A long “aa”: ar-Rahmaan |
| Silent alif after و | قَالُوا | The alif is not read: qaaluu |
| Small waw or ya after a pronoun | لَهُۥ | Stretch the vowel: lahuu |
| Madd wave (ٓ) | جَآءَ | Stretch longer than normal |
| Stopping signs | م، لا، ج، صلى، قلى | See stopping signs |
Some Mushafs also mark the sukoon with a small shape like the head of the letter خ instead of a circle. Show your child the sign used in your edition.
A 3-week bridge plan
- Week 1: Al-Fatihah and Juz Amma pages your child already knows, pointing out each new sign.
- Week 2: one new sign per day, finding five examples on the page.
- Week 3: reading half a page a day, slowly, with a finger under each word.
Choose the right Mushaf
Use the same edition the teacher uses, with a clear, large print. Changing editions in the first months adds confusion.
Teacher’s tip: start the Mushaf with surahs your child already knows by heart. Memory helps them decode the new signs while their confidence stays high.
Our Quran & Tajweed programme covers this bridge step by step.
