Reading at Home
1. Choose a quiet time
Choose a quiet time with no distractions. You don’t need very long- 10 to 15 minutes in usually long enough. Little and often in best!
2. Variety is important!
Allow your child to choose a book that they enjoy. It could also be a newspaper, magazine, information book, picture book, poem or comic! Visit the library, or encourage your child to visit the school library.
3. Vary the type of reading
Try to vary the type of reading with your child. You could read, they could read, you could read together, you could read a sentence followed by them reading a sentence. Your child could read independently and you could then ask them questions. All of these strategies help your child learn and practise reading. Look at the links for examples of these!
4. Be positive
If your child is struggling say ‘let’s read this together’ or encourage them to use letter sounds (rather than alphabet names) to work it out.
5. Talk about reading
Discuss content, characters and plot with your child. Ask them to make predictions based on what they have read. Use the AF questions for question ideas- you could focus on your child’s target to support their progress. .
6. Communicate
You and your child should record reading in the home/ school planner. Positive comments will show your child that you’re interested in their progress and that you value reading. Look at our child and adult book reviews- these may encourage your child to try new books.