CEPS Take Home Reading

You may have noticed that the books coming home with your child for home reading are a little different from what has been sent home in the past. 

Readers have typically been sent home daily with students in Foundation to Year 2 and sometimes beyond. These books provide students with the opportunity to read daily, read aloud to an adult and engage in book related discussions at home. They provide opportunities for students to practise the reading strategies being taught in the classroom and focus on their own targeted reading skills. Books were levelled in the past to ensure that they were at an easy level for the student, encouraging an enjoyable reading experience. 

Much of this has not changed. The purpose of take-home readers at CEPS is still to encourage daily reading habits, encourage reading strategy practise and to encourage book related discussions. However, books will no longer be levelled. Students will be guided by their teacher to select their own books that are a ‘good fit’ for them. They may read the book to you, and if the book is selected for interest and is too difficult to read independently, then you may read the book with your child. The purpose of this reading material is to promote a love of reading, encourage book related discussions at home that build on reading comprehension and to practise reading fluency. 

In addition to this self-selected reading material, you will notice your child being sent home with decodable books to read once the classroom teacher feels your child has the necessary skills to practise decoding words independently at home. The purpose of these books is to explicitly practise the Reading strategy of decoding (using letter sound relationships to read unfamiliar words). These books will be carefully selected for your child at their point of need and at the discretion of the classroom teacher. This year, some year levels will utilise Wushka On-line reading material to support this as CEPS continues to build our decodable library resources. 

We encourage all families to find time in their busy schedules to read aloud with their children, whether they be in Foundation or in Year 6! These reading experiences not only help to develop relationships but are also invaluable for learning and will have a positive impact in all areas of the curriculum. 

Robyn Apostolopoulos 

(Literacy Learning Specialist/Professional Learning Community Leader)