“Reading is the gateway for children that makes all other learning possible.” -Barack Obama
One of the best things you can do with your child to help their progress is to read with them every day and talk about the stories they are reading. Encourage them to read the text in English but ask them questions and discuss the story in your home language.
Don’t feel rushed in reading a new book every night. The same story can be revisited and consolidated. This assists to build fluency and comprehension skills. After the first reading you may like to focus on the expression and tone of the text, as well as asking questions about the characters and plot to understand the vocabulary and storyline more thoroughly.
It is essential to talk about the story and the words used. Note vocabulary to use again. Discuss the setting, the characters and what they do. Look at the pictures and the expressions on character faces. Talk about how the character is feeling and how they know that. Make predictions what could happen next in the story. Put your child into the story – what would they do if they were the main character? Try and make it all a fun discussion, rather than a test. Encouraging kids to love reading and talking about their reading, is a truly beautiful and positive thing!
Happy reading,
Sasha Key
(Mondays and Tuesdays)