Reading at Home - Supporting Early Reading

Many parents ask us how best to support their child with reading. Below are a few helpful tips for early readers.

• First of all make sure that you and your child are comfortable and that any distractions, such as the TV, are minimised.  A reading session should be no more than 10 minutes to start with.
• Talk about the book, the title and the characters.  Encourage your child to predict what might happen.
• If your child has a book with no words, encourage them to talk through the story and then to tell it more formally using time adverbials such as first, then, next.  They should try to recall the character names and look closely at the pictures.
• Once your child is able to read and blend sounds together to read simple words, they will be issued with a book containing words.  They should be encouraged to point to each word, say the letter sounds and then blend them together.  If the flow of the story is interrupted by their sounding out, they should be encouraged to re-read the sentences in order to hear the sense of the text. 
• Encourage your child to decode words using the sounds they know.  They should be supported to recall short words e.g. 'in, is, it' when they see them repeated.  Tricky words (words which cannot be sounded out) e.g. 'the, was' should also be pointed out. 
• It is important that children still talk about the books and extract further meaning from them.  On the Questions tab, you will find a list of useful questions to ask your child.
• It is also important to encourage children to read in real life situations e.g. in shops, on trips and around the home.  It is important that children see adults as readers and that adults model reading in a range of contexts. 
• Making trips to the library, reading stories to your child, reciting poems and rhymes and making reading meaningful will help your children to develop a love of reading and become a confident reader.
• Above all, reading should be seen as fun and not a chore!

Supporting your child with reading

Although your child will be taught to read at school, you can have a huge impact on their reading journey by continuing their practice at home.

There are two types of reading book that your child may bring home:

A reading practice book. This will be at the correct phonic stage for your child. They should be able to read this fluently and independently.

A sharing book.  Your child will not be able to read this on their own. This book is for you both to read and enjoy together.

Reading practice book

This book has been carefully matched to your child’s current reading level. If your child is reading it with little help, please don’t worry that it’s too easy – your child needs to develop fluency and confidence in reading.

Listen to them read the book. Remember to give them lots of praise – celebrate their success! If they can’t read a word, read it to them. After they have finished, talk about the book together.

 

Sharing book

In order to encourage your child to become a lifelong reader, it is important that they learn to read for pleasure. The sharing book is a book they have chosen for you to enjoy together.

Please remember that you shouldn’t expect your child to read this alone. Read it to or with them. Discuss the pictures, enjoy the story, predict what might happen next, use different voices for the characters, explore the facts in a non-fiction book. The main thing is that you have fun!