How to help your child .....

Reading

Reading has always been an important skill. In our modern world it is more important than ever. Children learn about the importance of reading as they watch family members use reading for everyday purposes.

Remember how excited you were when you started school? At last, you were going to learn to read - the world would be yours !

But it didn't happen overnight. There was a lot of hard work that came first. Although many things may have changed in school, it still takes a great deal of effort to learn how to read. As a parent you can make it a little easier and a lot more enjoyable.

Most important of all, read to your children regularly even before they start school. Find a good, thick book full of interesting stories and make a habit of reading a few pages aloud to your children every night. Sometimes, as they learn to read, let them take over the reading and keep them on their toes by asking a few questions.

Set an example yourself. Children learn by example and seeing their parents reading is the best example possible. Make a habit of visiting the local public library to let your children pick out some interesting books.

There is a wealth of children's stories today to fire the imagination and excite the mind. With a few minutes of your time every day you can help your child by providing a positive reading environment.

WHAT RESEARCH and EXPERIENCE TELL US

• Really, reading begins at home amidst all the print and talk that surround a child in the years before going to school.
• Parents who tell interesting stories and read interesting books to (and with) their children are giving them the best chance tobecome keen readers.
• There is no one method, no cure-all, that holds the key to teaching reading. Indeed, quite a number of children have 'picked up reading' at home - they have made a good start before they go to school.
• Articles in the media sometimes present 'phonics' as such a cure-all. It is a system which relates letters to sounds (e.g. 'ph is sounded as f'). Most early teaching does make use of phonics but along with many other strategies.
• Children learn to read in different ways, at different times, and at different rates - as is true of every other human skill. So teachers try to relate their teaching of each child's individual interests, abilities, and language background.
• Let's remember that, both at home and in class, the best guarantee of reading improvement is reading matter that interests or delights the child.

WHAT PARENTS CAN DO:

Be confident that your child will learn to read.

• Read aloud to your child every day
• Talk about a book before you start reading it to a young child.
• Ask older children about their current reading.
• Buy a bed-lamp and encourage reading each night before going to sleep.
• Praise every effort in reading, especially if confidence is low.
• Be seen reading for pleasure yourself.
• When choosing a video read the cover.
• Tell and re-tell stories of all kinds.
• Play games such as "l Spy".
• Ask your child to read out simple recipes while you cook together.
• Read comics, magazines, short stories, poems and rhymes.
• Read newspapers together.
• Read computer instructions together.
• Do crosswords and other word puzzles together.
• Read the TV guide before watching a program.
• Read directions and signs when driving and shopping.
• Read and write notes and letters to family members.
• Play board games together and read the rules.
• Listen to your child read every day, even for a short time.
• Give books as treats and presents.
• Discuss the meaning of stories and words.
• Encourage your child to read anywhere and at any time.

It is important to read to your child in your home language if your first language is not English. Experience shows that using your home language will help your child to learn to read in English

Try not to let television intrude on reading time. Make a special time for reading with your child away from interruptions.

HINTS FOR LISTENING TO YOUR CHILD READ

* After reading a story ask questions.

* When reading a harder book together, take turns.

* One successful strategy to assist when your child experiences a new word while reading is "Pause, Prompt, Praise".

PAUSE

On finding an unknown word:

• Give your child time to work out the words

PROMPT

• Try again, go back to the beginning of the sentence or read on to the end.
• Ask the child to look for a picture clue.
• Ask the child to look at the first letter and think about what the word could be
• Ask, "Does this make sense?"
• Try to sound out the word for your child.
• If necessary tell your child the word.
• Discuss the meaning of the word.

PRAISE

• Be positive.
• Even if mistakes are made praise your child for trying.

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