Helping your child at home

Reading at home with your child is one of the most important things you can do with your child. Below are clips which show you how to get the most out of this activity

Finding the right time and place to read at home.

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When reading with your child at home, make it a pleasure not a chore by making part of the daily routine.

Look at the cover of the book first

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Before you start reading with your child, spend a minute looking at the cover (especially if it’s a new book) to discuss what you both think the book will be about.

Reading the punctuation

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Help your child read the punctuation in their reading.

Asking questions which encourage prediction

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Asking your child to predict what is happening in a story and why it is happening is a great way to develop your child’s comprehension.

Asking your child inference questions

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Inference questions encourage children to become reading detectives, using evidence from the text to deduct hidden clues about a character or plot.

Helping your child summarise what they know.

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It is important that your child can draw information together and summarise what they know. Here are some questions which you can ask.

Parent Resources

Children who read regularly at home make the most progress with reading and become confident, enthusiastic readers. Reading should be pleasurable so it helps to share lots of stories with your child- reading to your child, however old they are, offers a time for bonding, sharing and talking about books which benefits children enormously.

Here we offer tips and free resources you can use to support your child's reading. Your local library is a great resource and children love exploring the wide variety of books available to them, it’s free to join and children do not get fined if their books are overdue. Each summer we encourage children to participate in the 'Summer Reading Challenge' at the library over the holiday to earn rewards, a certificate and a medal.

 

How you can help at home:

  • Set aside time to read with your child daily.
  • Find a quiet place.
  • Give your child lots of praise and encouragement for their efforts.
  • Encourage your child if they get stuck on a word but don't tell them the word straight away.
  • Talk about books you enjoyed as a child and let them see you reading at home.
  • When out and about encourage your child spot words on signs, in shops or on the road...
  • If your child is reluctant to read don’t force the issue. Suggest coming back to it later. You could try a different book, reading a comic, something online or even a trip to the library.

 

 

 

 

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