Research shows that children whose families read together at home are much more likely to become successful, confident independent readers.

We’ve put together some top tips to help you support your children at different stages – but here are two general tips to get you started.

Be a model reader: Help your children to see reading as a fun and natural part of life by seeing you reading and discussing books, newspapers, magazines and other texts on a regular basis. Having lots of reading material around the house helps with this.

Provide lots of choice: As well as integrating books into daily life, having lots of different texts around the house helps children to choose their own reading material and to develop their individual interests. Joining local libraries or taking children into bookshops to make their own selections is also important.

READING PICTORIAL BOOKS 

Look at what is happening on each page in order, discussing left-hand pages before right-hand pages. Talk about what is happening, rather than just what is in each picture.

Ask for interpretations of the whole book after reading, encouraging children to tell you who or what the book is about.

CHALLENGING ABLE READERS

Some children quickly learn to decode words, build up a wide vocabulary and simply love books! Here are some of the things you can do to keep up with their appetites.

Provide access to a wider range of fiction books to broaden children’s reading experiences. Ask your librarian or a bookshop assistant for advice and the latest recommendations.

Don’t forget about non-fiction – these books often present a greater reading challenge, and it’s important to encourage a wide experience of genres and styles. Suggest books or magazines on subjects that fascinate your children.

Suggest creative activities based on children’s interests. A love of reading can be developed further by encouraging children to consider adapting stories into plays, performing poetry or giving presentations about non-fiction subjects. This might then become a love of writing stories or poems from scratch.

SUPPORTING STRUGGLING READERS

Some children really struggle with learning to read. However, most just need a little more help and encouragement. Here are some of the things you can do to help reluctant readers.

Communicate with teachers to compare notes on precisely how children are having trouble, and how their needs could be best supported.

Talk about a book together before you read it, looking at the cover, the title and the information on the back. Flick through the pages, look at some of the pictures and talk about what might be going on. If children understand what a book is about, they will be better able to place the words encountered in context.

Put new or difficult terms into context so children can try to work them out in a meaningful way. Don’t let the struggle continue for too long, though – this will cause frustration and disengagement.

Don’t always correct mistakes immediately but give children the chance to recognise and correct their own mistakes.

Don’t force it – if children are disinterested or reluctant to read, or become upset, don’t force the issue. It’s much better to stop and try again when they are happy and relaxed.

Make it fun by choosing books that will really interest and entertain children. Encourage them to see how enjoyable reading can be.