Literacy

Why Reading Aloud Is So Important

Did you know that when children (and adults) read silently, they often skip over unfamiliar or tricky words without even realising it? This is especially common in developing readers who may not have fully “orthographically mapped” certain words—that is, they haven’t yet stored the word’s spelling, pronunciation, and meaning in long-term memory for instant recognition.

Skipping words can also be a natural part of building fluency, as children move from reading word-by-word to reading in larger phrases. But if this becomes a habit, it can lead to missed opportunities to learn new vocabulary and truly understand what they're reading.

That’s where reading aloud at home makes a difference. When children read aloud to a parent or caregiver, they’re more likely to slow down and pause when they come across something they don’t understand. These moments create valuable opportunities to discuss word meanings, clarify pronunciation, and explore the context of what’s happening in the story. Research shows that these kinds of conversations, and regular read-aloud experiences in general, significantly boost vocabulary growth and oral language development.

Ways to Help at Home

• Encourage daily read-aloud sessions We understand that parents are very busy people, but try to carve out a few minutes to listen to your child read each day, even if it’s just part of their book. 
• Discuss tricky words together When your child stumbles on a word or asks what something means, pause and explore it together. 
• Read aloud to your child Even if your child is a confident reader, don’t stop reading to them! Hearing fluent reading exposes them to richer language and models strong reading habits.

Fortnightly Segments 

Comprehension Question 

This fortnight’s questions are:

What might have happened in the time between the two important events in your book?

Does this book give you any ideas for future writing pieces of your own? 

Writing Challenge

If your child enjoys their writing and is keen to write for enjoyment at home, below is a prompt that you could ask your child to write about. 

I looked out the window and couldn’t believe what I saw…