Pleasure zone
Reading for pleasure is firmly back on the official agenda! There's no better time for making the most of the Government's new Family Reading Campaign to get children and families relishing the fun and comfort of a good book
Invitation to join in
At Highfield Hall School in Chesterfield, every week is family reading week for children in nursery, reception and Years 1 - 3. On one day of every week of the year, parents, grandparents and carers are invited into school at 2.45pm to choose a book with their child and read it together. The classes double up so there is one free classroom for the family reading session and children who don't have an adult coming in that day have story time with the teacher. Children have access to all the classroom books to choose from and a teacher is always on hand for any questions. Teacher Mrs Handley says, 'it is so good for carers and children to read together, and this session is great for encouraging them.'
10 top tips for reading
- Try to make reading and listening pleasurable experiences for both the reader and the listener. Success is directly linked to enjoyment.
- Find a comfortable place to sit, as far away as possible from distractions such as the radio, television or other family members.
- Don't waste time trying to listen to a child who cannot yet read - spend the time more productively by reading to them, and enjoying the time together sharing a book. Your enjoyment will convey very positive messages about the pleasure of reading to your child.
- If your child says 'no' to reading, (and they will), tell them that 'no' simply means that you will find another time. Try to negotiate an agreed time.
- Discuss the book both before starting and after reading. Talk about the characters, or ask for a prediction about what may happen next. This can be as valuable as the actual reading session.
- Be patient, especially if the reader is trying to break down or sound out an unfamiliar word. Stress or signs of impatience can be counter productive.
- Allow your child the chance to self correct any mistakes before you point them out. When the page, or a section of text, has been finished, try reading it to your child and then let them read it a second
time. Praise the improvement - success breeds success! - Try not to judge progress by the number of pages read. It is better that small amounts are read carefully. Racing to finish a book does no good at all, and may increase pressure through anxiety.
- Don't make comparisons between children, whether your own or others in the class. All children deserve the time to develop at their own rate.
- Last but not least ... Do you set a good example to your children? Do they see you reading newspapers, magazines, teletext or books?
Courtesy of, and adapted from, Kennall Vale School
www.familyreading.org.uk
This website forms part of the National Literacy Trust and offers a wide range of advice and access to support resources. Go to the Advice for Families section to download information to send out to parents, such as Why reading and sharing stories matters, Top tips to help you share books with your children, Why and how dads should get involved.
www.readingconnects.org.uk
From here you can download a copy of the Family Engagement Toolkit which provides a range wide of practical advice and case studies for helping schools to encourage parents and carers to be part of a reading community.
www.scholastic.co.uk/guidetoreading
This includes practical advice on how to make reading a habit at home and ideas for helping children with their book choices. Also an extremely useful section, highlighting information and tips, split into different age groups.
In this issue
Getting parents involved
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