The Importance of Reading at Home
At Christ Our Holy Redeemer, we know that learning at school and learning at home are closely connected, and when it comes to reading, parents and families play a powerful role.
Why is reading at home so important?
At school, we explicitly teach the building blocks of reading:
- hearing the sounds in words (phonemic awareness)
- connecting letters to sounds (phonics)
- reading accurately and smoothly (fluency)
- understanding new words (vocabulary)
making meaning from what we read (comprehension)
When you read to your child and with your child at home, you strengthen all of these skills in a natural, enjoyable way. Most importantly, you send a clear message that reading matters.
Even just 10–15 minutes a day can make a significant difference.
Reading to and reading with - both matter!
Reading to your child:
- Builds vocabulary and comprehension
- Develops listening skills
- Exposes them to rich language and ideas beyond their independent reading level
Reading with your child:
- Supports phonics and decoding skills
- Builds fluency and confidence
Provides encouragement as they practise new learning
Both experiences are valuable, and children are never too old to benefit from being read to!
Ways to make reading enjoyable at home:
Reading should feel positive and relaxed. Here are some simple ways to support this at home:
1. Keep it calm - Choose a comfortable spot and make it part of your daily routine.
2. Offer choice - Novels, comics, information books, magazines - it all counts.
3. Make it fun - Use expression, different voices and enjoy the story together.
4. Talk about the text - Ask questions like:
- What do you think will happen next?
- Why did the character make that choice?
- What was your favourite part?
5. Praise effort - Celebrate persistence and progress, not just accuracy.6. Be a role model - Let your child see you reading and speaking positively about books.
The image below highlights the powerful impact of daily reading. Students who read 20 minutes a day are exposed to dramatically more words across a year than those who read for only for 5 or 1 minute each day.
By reading regularly with and to your child, you are strengthening their literacy skills, nurturing their curiosity and helping them grow into confident, capable readers.