Reading at Home
with Your Child
enhance...encourage...enrich
"Reading should be enjoyable, relaxed and social"
Dear Parents,
Your role in helping your child to read is sometimes underestimated. THere has been a policy of 'leave it to the experts', kindled by some teachers wary of 'interference', and fuelled by some parents afraid of 'doing the wrong thing'. So, learning to read has often been shrouded in a cloak of mystery and/or apprehension.
The big advantage that you as parents have in helping your child to read is that you have a better opportunity to show him/her how reading is related to everyday life and not just something that you do at school. You are also more easily able to provide an intimate, relaxed situation where you can give more individual time and attention than a teacher with a class of perhaps 20 children to manage.
This page is designed to help you, the parents, guide and encourage the development of your child's reading at home.
Two important aids to help your child learn to read:
- Your positive attitude
- Your ability to praise, praise and praise again
"Always be positive in your comments
and avoid interrupting your child in mid flow"
How can I help?
Read books, poems, newspapers, packets, instructions - anything that is written down. Share the pleasure you get from reading. Share the things you learn from reading. Show how reading is useful to you.
When should I read with my child?
Choose a time when you're feeling relaxed and your ar fairly sure you will not be interrupted. Do no t do anything else while you are reading with your child. Try and put aside a regular time to spend reading with your child.
How can I be a good listener?
Give you child your full attention.
Relax - be positive and confident.
Give your child time to work out troublesome word - resist the urge to jump in with solutions and corrections.
Encourage your child to use the pictures to support their reading.
Do not pressure your child - "We've had this before. Why can't you remember?"
Praise your child's efforts:
"That was wonderfully fluent!"
"I was impresse with the way you noticed that it didn't sound right!"
"What excellent expression - that's just the way I imagined the character would speak!'
"Well done - you read some very difficult words!"
If your child has made an error, make positive and constructive comments at the end of a page or a paragraph.
"Take time to read - it is the foundation of wisdom" - Goethe
Reading Questions
(Some ideas to get you started...)
- Why do you think...happened?
- What do you think of the illustrations?
- Can you retell the story in your own words?
- Which part did you like best/least? Why?
- Did you find anything funny/sad?
- Which character did you like best in the story? Why?
- Would you like that character as a friend? Why?
- Did anything surprise you?
- Did you think that any of the words were interesting or unusual?
- What do you think will happen next?
- How do you think the story will end?
- How could you improve this story?
- What message do you think the author is trying to give the reader?
- Which words helped to set the scene of the story in your mind?
Some Useful Websites
The websites below:
offer parents advice on supporting children's reading
recommend books for children of all ages to read
provide links to a wide range of other relevant website
www.bookstart.org.uk
www.literacy.co.uk
www.memfox.com
www.scholastic.com.au
www.scholastic.co.nz
Both libraries have several really good books to help and encourage you to support your child's reading.
Nonie Adams, Former Director of Studies, October 2004
Updated by Richie Steven, Saturday, 13th June 2009
