Tips for parents to help their children at home with learning to read and write:

WHAT CHILDREN NEED TO ACHIEVE AS READERS.....

Children need to;

• be enthusiastic and eager to read a wide range of texts, both fiction and non-fiction
• be able to "read the words" (decode) of texts at their level
• be able to predict what is going to happen in a text
• be able to make meaning of texts at their level, both at a surface level ('what is happening?") and at a deeper level ("what is really happening?")
• be able to think critically about the texts they are reading ('what messages is the author trying to give and is this good writing?")
• use texts to collect, analyse and present information
• recognise strong links between reading and writing
• be able to read fluently, with expression and independently

TO DO THIS WELL, CHILDREN NEED TO HOLD....

background knowledge of the text

knowledge about the conventions of texts, e.g.

• important information is contained in the title and cover
• we read from left to right

knowledge of how texts work, e.g. books have a particular structure according to their purpose

knowledge of the alphabet and letter-sound relationships (phonologicial awareness)

Knowledge of how to read words and sentences. This means asking yourself some key questions when you come across a word or phrase you are unsure of;

• what clues do I get from the picture?
• what clues can I get from the sounds I can see and recognise? (letter-sound clues)
• does the word I am thinking of make sense in the sentence? (grammar clues)
• what punctuation clues can help me?

it also means re-reading the sentence and self-correcting as you decide on the "right' answer

Most importantly, support your child by reading to and with them every night.