Reading Why is reading important Research shows that

Reading

Why is reading important? Research shows that reading to a young child is the single most important thing you can do to help your child’s education.

It helps to develop a young child’s brain. It is important for both social and educational development.

Reading with your child will improve their general knowledge and imagination.

When they go to school they will: • • • know more words use more words when they speak know how books work be able to listen better be able to talk about stories they know

How can you develop their interest in books and reading? Visit the library Read and discuss words we see all around us d e t a e p e r a h t i Read books w e m y h r t a h t s e i pattern or stor e t i r u o v a f d a e r Restories Read a bedtim e story

Listening to your child read

Pink Children will bring a book home to read. Red Yellow Blue Green Orange Turquoise Purple Gold White Lime All books in school are colour banded. The same system is used throughout the school, allowing us to track the children’s progress. Brown Grey Dark Blue Burgundy Black

Pink Red Children usually begin on pink books. Yellow Blue Green Orange Turquoise Purple Children move up colour bands as they acquire a range of reading skills. Gold White Lime Brown Grey Dark Blue Burgundy Black

Parent reading objectives PINK understand stories make sense and sound right find the title, turn the pages, start reading on the left read each word as they point to them guess what might happen in a book use what they know about letter sounds to read words ask them about the story and talk about the pictures say ‘Where do we start reading? ’ let them hold the book and turn the pages themselves if they get stuck ask, ‘what would make sense? ’ or say, ‘sound it out’ or ‘go back and try again’ � adults interrupting and pointing is not helpful

We want your child to be successful at reading and eager to read to you at home. Therefore, they will only bring home a book that is within their reading ability.

Practise makes perfect! We hope your child will want to ‘show off’ their reading at home.

Your child should feel confident that s/he can read their school book to you, but what do you do if they get stuck on a word?

• Give them time to think • Remind them of the clues – “look at the first letter/sound” “look at the picture” “what is Kitty Cat doing? ” • Remind them that they know the word (key words) • Ask them to sound it out – “u –p” • Tell them the word

v Find time every day to read v Chat about the book first and enjoy the pictures. v Let your child be in charge of the book. They should hold the book, point and turn the pages. v Give them time to work out words and ‘fix’ mistakes. v Say as little as possible once they start reading – save the praise for the end.

v Don’t worry if they seem to be ‘remembering’ rather than reading. v Remember that the pictures are there to help, don’t cover them up. v Above all, enjoy it! Remember reading with your child regularly is the most valuable thing you can do to help them succeed!

Useful websites • https: //www. booksfortopics. com/reading-forpleasure • https: //www. booktrust. org. uk/ • https: //www. oxfordowl. co. uk/for-home/advice-forparents/reading-at-home/ • http: //www. wordsforlife. org. uk/