Nokuna

Curriculum Corner

Cafe Reading - Parent Information Session

Don't forget to come along next week to our Parent Information Session on Tuesday 12th March @ 6:30pm to hear more about CAFE system in detail.  You will hear about what it looks like at Weeden Heights  PS. 

 

This will be followed up the following week on Tuesday 19th March at 9:15am with a session for parents who would like to help in the classroom with reading. This session will give you tips for reading with children and any parent who would like to help in the classroom will need to attend. 

Building Literacy

The first few years of reading is a wonderful time for your child. Books expose them to new ideas and new worlds, and their imagination grows.

 

Talk positively about reading so your child also values it. Continue to read as much as you can with your child. When they feel confident, encourage them to take over some or all of the reading.

 

Always be patient when they are reading and try not to emphasise speed. Also, try to read as much as possible yourself to model reading to your child.

 

These years are a time when your child will learn more about the world. Engaging them in discussions improves their speaking skills, and helps them understand the world and their place in it.

In these years your child will also begin to write with greater confidence. The ability to write well enables your child to communicate effectively, and will improve their chances of success at school and in their future careers. Encourage your child to write as often as possible, on a range of topics and interests.

 

Literacy can always be fun and engaging. Let your child choose books and activities matched to their interests, and always encourage a healthy dose of fun and play in all activities. This will help foster in your child a love of reading, talking and writing.

 

HELPING YOUR CHILD TO READ

Here are some tips to encourage reading:

  • It is recommended that you continue to read together in the later primary years, even if your child is reading independently
  • Take your child to the local library often so they can choose, borrow and renew books. Taking your child to the library at the beginning of school holidays encourages weeks of independent reading
  • Encourage your child to borrow from their school library as well
  • If your child likes an author, find another book or a series of books by the same author
  • Encourage your child to read about their favourite author or illustrator at their website
  • Introduce your child to read different genres such as fantasy, science-fiction, action and adventure
  • Introduce your child to reading different types of texts, such as poems, music lyrics, and short plays
  • Encourage your child to read non-fiction. The newspaper or an online encyclopedia might be a good start, but your child might also be interested in history books or autobiographies of their favourite sportsperson or celebrity
  • Encourage your child to use a dictionary to look up words they might not understand
  • Allow your child to play age-appropriate video games that require reading.
  • Encourage your child to join the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge, which runs each year from March to September. Participating schools will register your child – otherwise you can register your child at: Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge
  • See also “Creating a literacy-rich home” later in this section.

Book Chat

Book chat is an important strategy to help your child to reflect more deeply on the content and meaning of their favourite books. As your child moves through primary school, ask more questions when discussing the book you are reading together, or when discussing the book your child is reading independently.

Some further questions might include:

  • Does the main character change in the story? How does the character change?
  • If you could change the ending of this book, what would it be?
  • What do you think is the story’s main message?
  • What is your opinion about the story’s main message?
  • Can you relate the story or message to another event or issue?
  • How could other people see it differently?