Research shows that the most important influence on a child's ability to learn to read is their parent's involvement.

How can I interest my child in books and reading?

• Talking to and with your child is a good way to help them to learn the language and understand their world.



• Sing nursery rhymes. When they are babies make sure they know that you hear them when they make noises and babble. Talk back to them.



• Reading books to your child is a good way of introducing your child to reading and to books and all the wonderful stories and ideas they contain. It can also be a lovely way to spend and share time with your child.



• Board and bath books are a great way to introduce babies, they can bite them, attempt to take them apart and drown them in the bath and in between they might even look at the colours or the mirrors or feel the bumps.



• Research has indicated that one of the best ways to help your child to take an interest in reading is to have books in your home. Children who are used to seeing books and hearing stories before they start school are better able to cope with learning how to read.



• It doesn’t need to be expensive. Borrow books from your local library. Taking your child to the library can be an exciting outing, and they will enjoy choosing some books for themselves. Most Libraries now run various groups that parents and children can go to - toddler times and children's activity and reading groups.



• Do some reading yourself. It doesn't matter what you read: Newspaper, comic, computer manual. If a child sees others reading they are more likely to want to do the same.



• Try to read to your child once a day. Even 10 minutes makes a difference.



• Let them look at books and read to you, even if it is complete gobbledegook!

How can I help them learn to read?

• Start by pointing out letters in books and saying their sound. Ask your child to try and find any letters they know.



• Look at alphabet books, but remember it is the sounds not names of the letters you want to teach them!



• If they show no interest in a book, don't worry, leave it aside and come back to it another time.



• Play pairs games, or snap with cards with the letters on.



• On bus journeys or in the car, play 'I spy' using sounds rather than letter names.



• When children start school, find out how they are learning and how you can help at home.



• Don't be afraid to ask questions and politely insist on the kind of education you want for your child.



• It is a skill, and as with all skills, some take longer to learn it than others. A whole page of print can be very off putting for a child, so practice with just one word on a card or piece of paper. 'The Early Learning Centre' sell some word and picture matching cards that are good value. They also have other games and activities that can help at this stage.

How do I help them to keep going?

• Praise your child for learning how to read and point out that mistakes are a way to find out how something is done properly.



• Follow the words with your fingers. Encourage them to sound out words that they might recognise from what they are learning at school.



• Encourage your early reader to read books he or she is comfortable with when another seems to be too much for them. This means they still feel confident about learning.



• The easiest way to judge whether or not a book is too difficult for the child reading it is to watch out for uncorrected errors. If a child makes one error every ten words, which he or she does not correct themselves, then the book is too difficult and book should be laid aside for a while.



• When difficult words appear, encourage your child to work them out by breaking down the sounds using their new phonic knowledge. Try to avoid doing the job for them.



• If they like magazines, buy ones that have reading tasks such as identifying letter sounds or making up stories. Help your child to identify words as they progress.

Authors: Sara Wernham & Mary Carson

Reading with Synthetic Phonics | Back to School | Reading – How to Make it Fun | Why You Should Bother | What To Do if Your Child Has Reading Difficulties | Parents Rights and Responsibilities

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