Helping your child with Reading

Some of the characteristics of a good reader are:

People who enjoy reading

People who read aloud well

People who can read accurately from a range of texts

People who understand what they are reading

People who can read quickly

You can help by:

Reading with your child/children little and often

Reading a variety of texts

Recognising that it is good when they want to reread a familiar text

Letting them choose their own books

Making reading an enjoyable experience

Before you start reading:

Talk about the book

Read the blurb if it is a new book (usually on the back cover)

Talk about the front cover, the pictures, the author. Do you know any other titles by him or her?

Talk about what the story might be about and what the characters might be like

Relate the story to your child's own experience. Have you done anything like this?

While you are reading:

Pause if the child makes a mistake

Give them time to self-correct, leave a few seconds or wait until the end of the sentence

If the child still can't read the word see if they know the initial sound

Split the word into syllables - try bits

Refer to the pictures for clues

Ask them what would make sense in the sentence

If the child is still stuck after 2 prompts, tell them the word

Praise the child as they read

Praise specifics rather than giving general praise such as reading difficult words, self-correcting without your help, reading a word they have previously got wrong or for reading fluently.