1. Reading How can you help your children to learn to read?

2. Ten Top Tips As parents you are your child's most influential teacher with an important part to play in helping your child to learn to read. Here are some suggestions on how you can help to make this a positive learning experience.

3. 1. Choose a quiet time Set aside a quiet time with no distractions. Five to ten minutes is usually long enough for younger children. Before school After school At bedtime The more of a routine it becomes, the better.

4. 2. Make reading enjoyable Sit with your child – make them feel important and valued Try not to pressurise if he or she is reluctant - instead, try to encourage, and make it fun If your child loses interest then do something else

5. 3. Maintain the flow If your child mispronounces a word do not interrupt immediately. Instead allow opportunity for self-correction. It is better to tell a child some unknown words to maintain the flow rather than insisting on trying to build them ALL up from the sounds of the letters. If your child does try to 'sound out' words, encourage the use of letter sounds rather than 'alphabet names'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwJx1NSineEhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwJx1NSineE synthetic phonics modelled Don’t just rely on phonics – children use a whole range of strategies. Try asking: Visual clues: Have you seen this word on another page? Graphic clues: Is there a clue in the pictures? Contextual clues: Read the rest of the sentence – What might the word say? Does that make sense?

6. Phonic and other strategies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwJx1NSineEhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwJx1NSineE synthetic phonics modelled Don’t just rely on phonics – children use a whole range of strategies. Visual clues: Have you seen this word on another page? Graphic clues: Is there a clue in the pictures? Contextual clues: Read the rest of the sentence – What might the word say? Does that make sense?

7. 4. Be Positive If your child says something nearly right to start with that is fine. Don't say 'No. That's wrong,' but ‘ Let's read it together' and point to the words as you say them. Use of the strategies mentioned before. Boost your child's confidence with constant praise for even the smallest achievement.

8. 5. Success is the key Parents anxious for a child to progress can mistakenly give a child a book that is too difficult. This can have the opposite effect to the one they are wanting. Remember 'Nothing succeeds like success'. Until your child has built up his or her confidence, it is better to keep to easier books. Struggling with a book with many unknown words does not support learning. Flow is lost, text cannot be understood and children can easily become reluctant readers.

9. 6. Visit the Library Encourage your child to use the public library regularly. Reading is just as much about learning to love books as it is about learning to read.

10. 7. Regular practice There is limited time within the school day for children to read 1:1 with an adult. Try to read with your child on most school days. 'Little and often' is best.

11. 8. Communicate Your child has a reading diary from school. Try to communicate regularly with positive comments and any concerns. Your child will then know that you are interested in their progress and that you value reading. You could also ‘Magpie’ with your child at home.

12. 9. Talk about the books There is more to being a good reader than just being able to read the words accurately. Just as important is being able to understand what has been read. Always talk to your child about the book; about the pictures, the characters, how they think the story will end, their favourite part. You will then be able to see how well they have understood and you will help them to develop good comprehension skills. Ask questions that will ascertain the child’s understanding of the text With young or less able readers questions will need to be more literal. More able readers should be asked questions where they have to infer [work out] meaning. Keep questions open ended

13. Asking questions Ask questions that will ascertain the child’s understanding of the text With young or less able readers questions will need to be more literal. More able readers should be asked questions where they have to infer [work out] meaning. Keep questions open ended

14. Which Questions? Where does the story take place? What do you think the setting is like? What specific words helped you create that picture? Who are the key characters in the book? How does the main character feel? What did s/he/it look like? i.e. describe…, e.g. the giant What do you think is happening here? What happened in the story? Can you tell me what the text/story is about in just a few sentences? Do you have any questions about what you have read? What does the word … mean? What is another word for …? Have you read any new words in this text? Which words/phrases tell you that… e.g. the setting is spooky More able and older children should be able to give some reasons why to support their responses and if possible be able to give some evidence from the text.

15. 10. Variety is important Remember children need to experience a variety of reading materials e.g. picture books, hard backs, comics, magazines, poems, and information books. Recommended reads: http://www.wordsforlife.org.uk/searchbooks?ke ys=&field_booksuitable_value_many_to_one=5- 8 http://www.wordsforlife.org.uk/searchbooks?ke ys=&field_booksuitable_value_many_to_one=5- 8

16. Assessment Reading Assessment Focuses These help us to really plan and assess all the different areas of becoming an effective reader! AF1 Use a range of strategies, including decoding of text, to read for meaning. AF2 Understand, 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. AF5 Explain and comment on writers’ use 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 cultural and historical contexts and literary traditions.

17. AF1 Use a range of strategies, including decoding of text, to read for meaning

18. AF2 Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text.

19. AF3 Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts.

20. AF4 Identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts, including grammatical and presentational features at text level.

21. AF5 Explain and comment on writers’ use of language, including grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level.

22. AF6 Identify and comment on writers’ purposes and viewpoints and the overall effect of the text on the reader.

23. AF7 Relate texts to their cultural and historical contexts and literary traditions.

24. Any Questions