Helping your child learn to read

Reading opens up a world which can provide a depth and richness to your life.

Sometimes, when your child starts to learn to read at school, it can be hard to remember that what we are all aiming for is to develop a lifelong love of reading. Your child will need support to sound words out, use the pictures as clues, recognise familiar complete words and gradually learn to use the structure of sentences to predict. This can be very hard work for children and parents!

You can help by always encouraging your child. If they are finding it hard, then read along side them to build their confidence. Quietly say the words with them and this will encourage them. When they first start to read simple books, it really helps to read the story to them first and then let them have a go. The most important thing is that they enjoy the books and that we enjoy reading them with them.

Taking it in turns to read one page or sentence can really help too. Try not to worry if other children learn to read more quickly than your child because all children learn to read at different rates and this is not related to future attainment, it is just that every child is different. Gradually, all these skills of reading will merge together and they will begin to read with greater flow and fluency.

Encouragement and support are what they need.