Reading with your Child

Dear Parents,

Please read this great article by Multilit, from Macquarie University, about reading with your child.

You can support your child in learning to read by reading with your child every day.

Here are some helpful hints.

1.Set the scene.  Before you read the story, tell your child the title of the book and a bit about it. Try to relate it to your child’s own experience, if you can. If it is about dogs, talk about a dog they know. You can also discuss what might happen in the story.

2. Read the book.  Read the story in a lively way with lots of expression. If you come across unfamiliar words, stop and tell your child what they mean. This improves your child’s vocabulary and helps them to understand the whole story. During the week, you might also like to remind your child of some of the new words from the story book and relate them to your everyday life.

3. Recalling the story.  After reading the book, ask your child questions about the story. For example, “What happened at the beginning of the story?” or “What happened at the end of the story?”. If they can’t remember, tell them. You might also want to try asking different types of questions that require more than a yes or no answer. For example, “Why do you think the little green dragon was so sad?” These sorts of questions help to develop your child’s language skills.

You don’t need to read a different book for every session; in fact, rereading the same book several times allows the child to become familiar with the story and helps them to learn new vocabulary.

Finally, being patient and enthusiastic will make reading together a much more positive experience for both you and your child. Have fun!