How to support your child in reading at home

In this booklet
Tips for great reading at home Talking around the book Getting to grips with phonics The reading diary "upport from school page page ! page # page 3 page 4

Why is reading SO important?

$eading is so important because it strengthens the brain and impro%es childrens opportunities in life& 'y There is more treasure in books than in all the reading( children also more %ocabulary( de%elop pirates lootlearn on Treasure Island their imagination( it helps them gain better general Walt Disney knowledge and a better understanding of other cultures& The benefits of reading are endless& If children learn to read well they will do better in all other sub)ects*

What difference could I make as a parent?

The short answer is+ a lot, -arents are by far the most important educators in a childs life and its ne%er too young for a child to start( e%en if youre only reading with your child for ten minutes a day&

Tips for great reading at home

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/ind a 0uiet place 1 set some time aside with no distractions( .2 1 . minutes a day& 4ake reading en)oyable 1 try not to pressure your child( praise them when they are reading well& 'e positi%e 1 If your child is stuck( dont be frustrated*this is a natural part of learning how to read& 5elp them by 67T telling them the word but asking them to sound the word out or use the pictures to help them& 8ariation 1 read different things+ books( websites( maga9ines( newspapers( comics( bus timetables( labels in supermarkets( -oems& The list is endless, Talk( talk( talk 1 talking to your child helps them to learn new words& Talking about the book before and after reading will help them to really understand what is in the book& :sk 0uestions 1 ask your child 0uestions about what they are reading& $ead to your child 1 children lo%e to hear their parents read to them& 4ake time before bed for a story ;especially Dads,< "hare the passion = If children see their parents en)oying reading( they will want to en)oy it too, >ou are great role models& "torytelling 1 "tories dont )ust come from books& Tell them stories about when you were little or stories your parents told you* Take turns 1 bring characters in fiction books ali%e by you and your child gi%ing them interesting %oices& Aibrary 1 come and en)oy all of our wonderful books in the school library or the local library&

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Talking around the book

Talking about books is important& Buestions are great for starting con%ersations& There are lots of different 0uestions you can ask about language( characters( settings( e%ents( layout( themes and many more& 5ere are some eCamples+

Getting to grips with phonics

-honics is the way that all schools teach your child to read and write& The alphabet contains only 3! letters 1 a(b(c(d(e(f(g(h* We call them by their letter names& When we learn in phonics( we learn the sounds. If you want to listen to the sounds type 44 phonemes into www&youtube&com and you can listen to how people pronounce each one& The first step in phonics is learning the sounds& 7nce your child is learning the sounds( they can blend them together to read words& They start with smaller words and as they become more confident with their sounds( they begin to read longer words& It is really important to help your child to push the sounds together ;blending<&

The reading diary

When you ha%e read with your child its great to write a short note in their reading diary& Then the adults who read with your child in school know what they ha%e done really well in and what they need more help with& The more home and school talk the more well be able to support your child in their progress& "ometimes books( which are a little too easy for your child or ones that they ha%e read before will be sent home& This is because they gi%e your child confidence and raises their self= esteem when it comes to reading& They can also focus on eCpression and fluency& 5ere are some words you might see in the reading diary or want to use yourself+

Domprehension 1 understanding what you are reading& ECpression 1 making your %oice sound interesting for the listener& This may be changing pitch( tone( %olume or rhythm& /luency 1 when the reading is smooth and 0uick enough( pauses are made at commas and full stops& -unctuation 1 full stops( commas( eCclamation marks( 0uestion marks( speech marks* "ounding=out 1 saying the different sounds you can see in a word( this helps you with words that you ha%ent learnt yet& c=oi= n 'lending 1 blending ;or pushing< the sounds together smoothly using your %oice& Fse blending after you ha%e sounded=out the word out& Tricky word 1 a word that cannot be sounded=out( like+ one( people( was( said& These words must be learnt by heart& 6on=fiction 1 these books are true and are about real things( people( places( e%ents& We get information from non=fiction books& /iction 1 "tories that are made=up and are not true&

Heres a list of some top books that your child may love!
The truth about /ore%er by "arah Dessen 4ini "hopaholic by "ophie Ginsella Goodnight 4r Tom by 4ichelle 4agorian The curious Incident of the Dog at 6ight=Time by 4ark 5addon The :d%entures of Tom "awyer by 4ark Twain "tig of the Dump by Dli%e Ging Dharlottes Web by E' White The /amily from 7ne=End "treet by E%e Garnett The "tory of Tracy 'eaker by Hac0ueline Wilson 4atilda by $oald Dahl Toms 4idnight Garden by -hilippa -earce Gensukes Gingdom by 4ichael 4orpurgo The -hantom Tollbooth by 6orton Huster The 6arnia 'ooks by D" Aewis 5arry -otter "eries by HG $owling The 'orrowers by 4ary 6orton Fncle 4ontagues Tales of Terror by Dhris -riestly The Aionboy Trilogy by Ii9ou Dorder "kellig by Da%is :lmond 5is Dark materials by -hilip -ullman The 5unger Games "eries by "u9anne Dollins The Golden Dompass by -hilip -ullman Ella Enchanted by Gail Darson Ae%ine The Witches by $oald Dahl 6umber the "tars by Aois Aowry

$emember to read a %ariety of books,,,

Come and see me if you need a book recommended!