At Wesley, we recognise the importance of reading and the impact this has on a child's educational journey. Research shows that reading with your child is the single most important thing you can do as a parent/carer to help your child’s education. To support in this we send home two reading books: one at your child's ability for them to read to you, and a second book which is of a higher level to be read as a story time by yourself.

Reading shows you CARE for your child.

Reading helps you to CONNECT with your child.

Reading can unlock CONFIDENCE in your child.

 

Top tips for reading at home with your child:

1. Read aloud to your child.

Even children as old as twelve enjoy the experience of a parent or loved one reading aloud to them. You may have read to your children when they were very little: get back into the habit and it’s something you will both enjoy. It’s a great opportunity for you and your child to talk, to be close and share a few laughs.

2. Encourage your child to read aloud to you.

Be positive and patient about your child’s reading - even when they are being very slow or are struggling. The most important thing you can do to support your child’s reading is to offer encouragement and patience.

3. Find somewhere comfortable and cosy.

Make sure your child has a cosy, comfortable place in which to read: somewhere with no noisy distractions – and no television.

 

4. Use your child’s interests.

Help your child to choose books that he or she will find really interesting. If your child loves Star Trek, choose a science fiction novel. If he or she is a football fanatic, find a book, poem, comic or magazine which is all about their favourite  sport.  Do you know the name of your child’s favourite author? It’s time to find out.

5. Have plenty of books at home.

Borrow them free of charge from the school library or from your local public library; buy second-hand books from charity shops and car boot sales; give your child a book on birthdays.

6. It is ok to read the same book time and time again!

Don’t worry if your child wants to read the same book over and over again, or if your child chooses a book which seems to be too easy or too young for him or her. The most important thing is that your child enjoys reading. Children will move on to more difficult books when they are ready.

7. Find out what is going on in school

Ask your child about what he or she is reading at school. Encourage your child to talk about books they’ve enjoyed at school, and if your child has to do some reading as homework, encourage him or her to read aloud to you and to talk to you about the characters and ideas that come up in the book.

8. Practise!

Try to read with your child as often as you can. ‘Little and often’  is best — aim for a minimum of 4 times a week.

9. Make if fun!

Make reading an enjoyable experience. Sit with your child. Try not to pressurise if he or she is reluctant. If your child loses interest then do something else.

10. 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. names'.