Why is it important for your child to read at home?

 

• Reading to your child can give them the opportunity to hear stories & language at a higher level than they may be able to read completely alone. Research also shows that hearing texts read aloud is a significant source of vocabulary acquisition.

• When you read with your child, they hear what fluent, expressive reading sounds like. This, in turn, helps to make their own reading more fluent and expressive – which also helps to improve their understanding of the text.

• Reading together shows children the value of reading. It can also be relaxing and fun for adults and children alike.

• The more often and the more widely your child reads, the better they become at it!

• Reading for pleasure vastly improves spelling, grammar, writing ability and general knowledge.
• Reading is a great way to relax and spend quality time together.

 

What books will your child bring home?

 

Your child will have 2 different books to read at home:

 

A Book Band Book matched to their reading age

Reading this at home will help your child become more fluent and confident decoding words and develop their comprehension skills.

Encourage your child to read this book independently and ask questions about the book and talk lots about the story to deepen comprehension and understanding.

 

A chapter book to read for pleasure

Reading this book at home will help your child develop a love of story and books.

Read this book together and share ideas, thoughts and feelings as you read. Your child may read the book independently although they may not know all of the words; they may read some chapters to you and you can read some chapters to them too. You can alternate between your child reading a page or chapter and you reading a page or chapter to them.

This book is about sharing and enjoying great stories and literature. Talk lots about the book and ask questions about the characters and story. Talk about the author, genre and why your child chose the book. Take opportunities to explore wider vocabulary and explain to your child what words mean.

Read little and often with your child/ren and make reading fun!

 

Questions you can ask when reading

 

Before reading the book:

• Who is the author of this book?
• Have you read anything else by this author? Is anything similar? Does this book remind you of anything else? How?
• What is the genre of the book: sci-fi, mystery, historical, fantasy, adventure, horror, comedy? What are the features that make you think this?
•  When do you think this book was written? How do you know? Does it matter? What would it be like if it was written now?
• What do you think this story is about? What might happen in the story?
• What does the blurb tell us?
• What is the purpose of this book? How do you know?

While reading the book:

• What has happened in the story so far?
•  What do you think will happen next?
• Who is your favourite character? Why?
•  Who is the character you like least? Why?
• Do you think the author intended you to like / dislike this character? How do you know?
• If you met one of the characters from the story, what would you say to him / her?
• Why is this page laid out in this way? Could you improve it?
• Find some evidence in the text to support your opinion.
• Pick three favourite words or phrases from this chapter. Can you explain why you chose them?

At the end of the book:

• Does your opinion of this character change during the story? How? Why?
• Would you change any part of the story? How?
• Would you change any of the characters? How?
• Which part of the story was the funniest/scariest/ saddest/ happiest?
• Find some evidence in the text to support your opinion.
• Did this book make you laugh? Can you explain what was funny and why?
• Do you think the title of the book is appropriate? What would you have called it?
• Is the plot fast or slow moving? Find some evidence in the text, which supports your view. If the author had included another paragraph before the story started what do you think it would say? Would you like to read another book by this author? Why/ why not?
• Does this remind you of any other books you have read?

 

It is helpful if you:

• Ask ‘What have you learnt from the book?’
• Say ‘Find a part of the story where…’
• Ask ‘What words are used to describe…?’
• Read books together, take it in turns to read and talk lots about the book and the story.
• Read little and often and make reading fun!

 

Things that are unhelpful

• Don’t assume your child feels the same way about a book as you – we all like different things.
• Don’t assume because your child can read a word they know it’s meaning.
• Reading words correctly but not listening to what is being read is unhelpful – they may understand the words, but not the story.