Loving Learning Literacy

Literacy- Read all about it!

Welcome back to another fantastic year of learning in Literacy!

We look forward to getting to know you and working in partnership with you - together we can accomplish great things!

Reading with Your Child

Why It’s Important ...

Children's  self  esteem  grows  as  they  experience  the security of having a parent or other caring person read aloud with them.

Children    experience    increased  communication with parents and other family members.

Children  are  introduced  to  new  concepts  such  as colours, shapes,  numbers,  and  alphabet,  in  a  fun,  age  appropriate way.

Children  build  listening  skills,  vocabulary,  memory,  and language skills.

Children develop imagination and creativity.

Children learn information about the world around them.

Children  develop  individual  interests  in  special  subjects like dinosaurs, cats, or cars.

Children   learn   positive   behaviour  patterns  and   social values.

Children learn  positive attitudes towards themselves and others.

CHILDREN LEARN THE JOY OF READING!

Common Questions Asked About Home Reading ..

Should the books be easy or difficult?

The books that children bring home to read should be at a slightly lower level than what they are reading in the classroom. It is meant to be an enjoyable experience for both you and your child - not stressful! If your child is getting stuck on every second word, then the book is too hard for them. This can be frustrating for both you and your child which is not setting them up for a positive experience. Read the book to your child instead and have them read the easy words. You might want to also have a chat with the teacher if difficult books continue to come home. Library books are often books for you to read with or read to your child.

What routine should I set up?

Find a quiet, comfortable spot that is the ‘go-to reading’ spot with your child. If you have other children, this can be tricky, We know! It’s about finding the right time for you and your child. Whether it be before dinner, just before they go to bed, or first thing in the morning. Do what works for you!

How do I start?

Ease into the book. Get your child thinking about what the book might be about by asking some questions before you start reading. Here are some examples of what you could ask:

• What do you think this book is about? Why?
• Do you think this is a story or a fact book? Why?
• Can you read the title? Does this give you some more clues?
• What do you notice about the picture on the front of the book?

What Happens When My Child Gets Stuck?

Don’t tell them the word. Guide them instead. If you tell your child every word they get stuck on they won’t learn to use the reading strategies they are learning at school and will expect you to tell them every time. This isn’t going to help them to develop and grow as readers.

Here are some basic reading strategies your child will be taught in the classroom:

• Say the letter sounds and blend them together
• Look at the picture to get clues
• Look for chunks in the word, or smaller words in a larger word eg. for shouted – they could chunk: ‘shout’, or ‘out’.
• Have them read to the end of the sentence for further clues. What would make sense?
• Have them read on and think what would make sense

Make it Enjoyable!

Reading is meant to be a fun enjoyable time with your child.

If you are getting frustrated, it will rub off on them. If they are finding it hard or they are too tired – read a page each. Have them follow along with you and make silly mistakes! Your child will love correcting you. Put on some silly glasses and read the book together!

Comprehension is Important!

Your child’s comprehension is a vital component of learning to read. Often parents listen to the home reading book and then mark it off as complete. Instead, ask some questions at the end of the reading to support your child’s comprehension skills.

They don’t have to be difficult questions - here are a few that you might like to ask:

• Can you tell me all that you remember about this book?
• What was your favourite part of the book and why?
• How did you feel when you read that story?
• What did you learn from reading this story?
• What was the problem in the story?
• Which character did you like and why?

Good luck and best wishes for the year ahead!

Mrs Nella Fimiani (Deputy Principal & Literacy Leader 3 - 6)

Mrs Taryn Travanca (Literacy Leader Prep - 2)