Reading myths and building literacy

Reading Myth: You should stop reading aloud to your child once they can read on their own.

TRUTH

Learning new words depends on hearing them, and children of all ages need to be exposed to as many words as possible. Reading aloud introduces students to as many as 32 million more words than their peers who are not read to.

TIP

• Read out recipes, read an article in the newspaper, read a review, read an information report on a topic that interests your child, share the reading of their class novel.

The increase in word knowledge will also enhance their writing.

Always Building Literacy Skills!

In 2019 students will be reading the following novels in Semester 1. The holidays are a great opportunity to get started.

• Year 7 ‘Trash’
• Year 8 ‘Digger J Jones’
• Year 9 ‘Private Peaceful’

Reading these novels before returning to school will increase your child’s knowledge on the text and give them some prior knowledge for classroom conversations. This prior knowledge allows students to engage in conversations, feel comfortable about conversations and an opportunity to be more engaged in the learning.

Students have been working hard to develop their reading comprehension skills this year with many of them achieving some great growth.

Reading practice in the holidays = the maintenance and growth of skills.

TIPS

• Have discussions with your child about their novel.
• Read their novel with them, to them.
• Create a set reading time each day – a 20-minute block, two 10-minute blocks or four 5-minute blocks, whatever works for your child and family.
• Model reading.

Mrs Karen McDougall, Literacy Coordinator