Top 5 tips to get my child to read

Tips for Reading

 

  1. Choose books that your child is genuinely interested in.

    This may sound obvious, but asking a child to read about robots if they love trains isn't going to have the same impact!

  2. Pick a quiet and appropriate time to read.

    Creating a relaxed environment can really help to ease the pressure some children face when asked to practice their reading.

  3. Talk about the story.

    It is important to make reading more than just about 'practicing reading'. Remember that books are stories! Talk about what is happening in the story 'what do you think this book is going to be about?' 'What do you think will happen next?' are great questions to engage your child in the storybook.

  4. Identify tricky words first before you start reading

    Once you start to read regularly you will learn the words that they will find tricky depending on their level. Reading the trickier words together before you start reading will give your child confidence when they see that word during the story.

  5. Give them time to decipher the words

    Giving your child time to decipher the words and not rushing them will increase their confidence. It is important for children to learn the process of how to read words. That is how phonics works. Ask them to take their time, sound it out and blend it back together.

    *Be patient here! It is not uncommon for children to correctly read a word and then 30 seconds later be unable to read it. Go through the process from the beginning, sound it out, blend it together. In time they will recognise high frequency words and will not need to go through that process any more.

    Don’t forget to give them positive praise for their effort!