Reading with Your Child

Reading is one of the most important areas you can support your child with. For early primary aged children, the opportunity to read aloud to a parent daily will go a long way in improving reading skills. In fact, the biggest gains can be made when families commit to daily reading. This does not have to be a long, drawn out process. Even five minutes a night is a great help. I often encourage children to “read to the 'staples' the first night, finish the story the second night and reread the text on the third night". Research continues to indicate that repeated reading of familiar texts builds fluency. Helping children to engage with the text by encouraging them to make connections and predictions will benefit comprehension. For example, 'what do you think the puppy will do next?’ It doesn't matter if the prediction is wrong, rather, it is about thinking what an appropriate response might be. Making comments like ‘that reminds me of when we went to visit grandma and saw the chickens’ will help children understand how good readers process information and make sense of what they read by connecting it to known experiences. Asking a quick question before turning the page will help with factual recall. If reading is a struggle, it is important to talk with your child's teacher. It is only natural that we avoid things that are difficult, so acknowledging this with your child can help. If you would like further information, please don't hesitate to contact your child's class teacher or myself.

Ms Sara Taverner, Head of Learning Enrichment P-5