Practical tips for practising reading at home.

When learning to read it is vitally important that your child practises reading at home, every day.

Nurturing a love for reading: a child immerses herself in a colorful book, exploring the magic of stories.

In this article I would like to share some practical tips for practising reading at home.

Studies show that practising reading at home is an effective way to:

·      Relieve stress and manage emotions

·      Improve language and vocabulary - Reading exposes children to new words and sentence structures, which can improve their language skills and expand their vocabulary.

·      It can contribute to improved spelling.

·      It enhances comprehension and critical thinking.

·      It stimulates imagination and creativity.

·      Improves focus and concentration.

·      Boosts academic performance. 

Here are some helpful tips:

1.   One of the most practical ways to improve your child’s reading skills is to practice with things they encounter in their daily life. For example, when you’re out and about try reading street signs, advertisements, menus and product labels.

2.   Reading aloud is another helpful technique for improving reading skills. When you read out loud, your child will hear your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation. This is a good way to model fluency. 

3.   Echo reading, or repeating what someone else has read, is an effective strategy to increase fluency too.

4.   Playing word and sound games really gives your child a boost. It builds phonemic awareness and helps them to see the relationship between letters and sounds.

5.   Encourage independent reading.

If your child is struggling to read:

·      #1 – NB Take baby steps!

·      Let them use the pictures to try to understand the text.

·      Re read familiar texts over and over again.

·      Discuss the cover of the book and ask your child questions about the story.

·      Help them to choose books that are not too difficult for them. Start with easier books and build up as their confidence grows.

·      Use lots of praise and encouragement.

·      Play word games, using words that they are struggling with.

Most importantly, remember to have fun while practicing!

The more you enjoy the process, the more likely your child is to stick with it and continue improving. With consistent practice, you will see their reading skills grow and they will develop a lifelong love of reading.

Go to www.climbintoreading.com for a Reading programme that has been created by a teacher with over 30 years experience, teaching beginner readers to build strong reading foundations.