How to develop your child’s reading An information session for parents

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!

A great book (was it written for a child or adult, or both?) A weekly magazine The IKEA catalogue The local paper The holiday brochure Do you have a favourite read?

It reminds me of... I can forget everything else... I can imagine that... I can learn more about... I can be someone else... Why is it so special?

Was it a positive experience? Who taught you to read? Research undertaken by Literacy Matters states that over 80% of those surveyed believed that their parents taught them to read.

Aims for this evening: 1)To explain how we teach reading in school. 2)To find out more about what you can do to help your child learn to read.

Stage 1 Pre-reading Even before your child can read it is important that you share books with them. What children can do: turn the pages, hold the book. Talk about the pictures. How you can support: read books to them, talk about the picture.

Getting started Make sure the book is flat on the table as children will need their hands to point. The child is in charge of the book. Adults can read the title and introduce, the child should be doing all the reading. The adult can tell the child a tricky word, but encourage them to use strategies they know.

Initial reading What the child can do: Read simple repetitive books. Read key vocabulary identified through the pictures. Read high frequency words. Say the first sound in a word. How you can support: Getting them to predict what may happen next and comment on the story. Ask them to identify a letter or a word.

Stage 2 What the child can do: Have an increasing vocabulary – high frequency and text specific words. Children can sound out words. c a t cat How you can support: More discussion around the book. Read the book first to spot tricky vocabulary and discuss with your child first.

Blending Sometimes 2 letters make one sound e.g. ch, th, sh When the child reads shop, they read sh o p shop not s h o p

How you can support: Get your child to do the work! Encourage children to use the picture clues. Encourage children to listen to the sentence they have just read – does it sound right? Allow the child to continue reading if they make a mistake – can they self correct? You can re-read the sentence as the child read it. Can the child identify what went wrong?

What you child can do: They can recognise and identify punctuation and know what it means. How you can support: Demonstrate pausing for commas, using expression for exclamation marks and changing your voice for speech marks.

What your child can do: Children can be fluent for 2 – 3 word phrasing I am a cat. I am a dog. I am a frog. How you can support: Model reading with and without fluency. Ask your child, “Can you read this more quickly?”.

Stage 1 and 2 Comprehension Questions How is this character feeling? What might happen next? How would this feel if it happened to you? Why do you think this happened? What did you think about this? Where did this take place? When did this happen?

Why did you choose this book? Do you know any of the characters in this story? What do you do if you get stuck on a word? Do you like this book? Why? What books has your teacher read at school? Do you think you are a good reader? Who is your favourite author?

Setting Character Events Who is the author? What is an illustrator? Where would we find the blurb?

Read everything! All children, including young children, should be reading fiction and non-fiction books. They can read poetry, comics, magazines, catalogues, cereal packets, road signs, signs in supermarket aisles…

Reading behaviours You should have had these sent home and they are in your child’s green book. There are spare copies at the back of the hall. Please take the one for your child’s book colour.

Stage 3 By the time children reach KS2, our aim is that they are becoming more confident readers, who read both for pleasure and for information. They should be developing a range of strategies to work out unfamiliar words, building on their phonic knowledge. Children will also start to widen their reading repertoire and comprehension skills, so that reading supports their work across the curriculum.

Reading In School Each classroom has a ‘reading corner’ which encourages children to look at a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction books. We also like the children to read books connected with the current class topic and there will be books on display in each classroom to that effect. We have a wonderful new library space which we want to develop further!

How Do We Teach Reading At School? One text on IWB or individual copies Shared Reading Working in small groups, reading and /or discussing reading Guided Reading To a member of staff; parent; volunteer; to partner; self Individual Reading

Assessing Reading At School DCSF Guidelines: AF1 Use a range of strategies including accurate decoding of text, to read for meaning (until NC Level 3, then not assessed) AF2Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text AF3 Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts AF4 Identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts, including grammatical and presentational features at text level AF5Explain and comment on writers' uses of language, including grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level AF6 Identify and comment on writers' purposes and viewpoints and the overall effect of the text on the reader AF7 Relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts and literary traditions How Do We Teach Reading At School?

What do we do when we read? Make predictions or give opinions, then decide if we are right. Decide whether we think it is a good book or not. Work out the main characters and the main themes. Compare the book to others that we have read, appreciate an author’s style. Decide whether we agree with what characters do, or how our lives are the same or different to theirs. Think of questions that we want to find out the answers to. Try to understand what the author’s message is. Think about why the writer has used certain features e.g. layout and words.

Try to understand what the author’s message is. Think about why the writer has used certain features e.g. layout and words. The author describes Clara’s time on the train as ‘like an old-fashioned flickering film.’ Explain as fully as you can – why you think the author uses this image and – what it tells you about Clara’s feelings In the story of Goodnight Mr Tom, how do the main characters change in their attitude towards each other?

Confident readers become confident and expressive writers. Through studying texts in depth, children pick up a rich variety of language that they can use in their own writing.

Make the experience pleasurable… Find a comfortable place. Give plenty of time. Avoid interruptions (no TV; siblings (unless purposeful choice); cooking dinner; other cars on the road; etc) Keep the time positive. Stay clear of ‘competition’ and comparisons with the ability of others- ‘readingschemeitis ’! What Can You Do to Help Your Child?

But my child can read, how can I help their reading develop? Provide the texts (Bug Club). Provide the time. Provide the atmosphere. Provide the role model. Discuss what they are choosing to read. Discuss what they are reading. Ask questions about the text. (more to follow...)

What Can You Do to Help Your Child? But my child can read, how can I help their reading develop? Discuss the language and ideas in the text. Use and or adapt some of the question prompts to help you. Know what your child’s target is. Refer to it when adding a comment in your child’s Reading Record Book. Encourage your child to earn team points by reading at home.

What Can You Do to Help Your Child? But my child is a reluctant reader… Use different incentives. Would they be more comfortable reading to a sibling (older or younger)? Use Bug Club – online reading scheme. Let them choose what they read to you Have routines that work for your family – don’t leave it till bedtime, when everyone is getting tired!!

What Can You Do to Help Your Child? Be a great role model: Let them catch you reading. Find some time in the week to read yourself. Let your children see that you get pleasure from reading. Share your favourite books /reading material with them. Read aloud to them. Show them the value of being able to read.

What Can You Do to Help Your Child? Provide a wide range of reading material A school reading book is only one part of a child’s reading repertoire Books (picture books; short stories; chapter books); magazines; comics; annuals; membership handbooks Information books; brochures; catalogues; flyers; newspapers; guide-books Websites ; take-away menus; instructions; Visit the library and or bookshop

What Can You Do to Help Your Child? Where can I find out about ‘good’ books for my child? Word of mouth – children, their friends, other parents, friends and family Teaching staff Bookshops Local Libraries Online – a wealth of recommendations and reviews (children can often add their own review too.)

What Can You Do to Help Your Child? Recommended Websites: reading/children/

What Can You Do to Help Your Child? Recommended Books: reading/children/best-book-guide/ Waterstone’s: Guide to Kid’s Books 70 Tried and Tested: Great Books to read aloud

Thank you for coming this evening. Your commitment is very much appreciated. Before you go… enjoy sharing a book with your child.