HOME READING (KINDER TO YEAR 2) AT ST PAT’S; TIPS AND TRICKS

Why do we need to do reading at home? 

Children need a lot of practice to develop their reading skills to the point of fluency. Ten to fifteen minutes of daily reading at home with a supportive adult can make all the difference. This will enable children to apply their letter-sound knowledge to reading simple text. Reading at home should be a successful and positive experience for your child. If it is turning into a very stressful time, please do consult your child’s class teacher for advice. 

What kind of readers will my child bring home and why? 

The readers that your child will bring home will contain words that they can ‘sound out’. This will enable children to use their knowledge of letter-sound relationships that they have been taught in class. You will notice that the vocabulary in these books is very controlled. This is because at this early stage of the reading process, words need to follow regular sound symbol patterns (e.g., dog, fan, sheep) so that children are given opportunities to work out the words for themselves, with your support. As children learn more about spelling and the ways different sounds are represented, they will be able to read more words. Over the year, and with practice, your child will begin to read with more fluency. Guessing words from a picture or from context should not be encouraged. Instead, encourage your child to look at the letter and letter combinations and think about the sounds they represent. Some words are irregular or ‘tricky’. These ‘exception’ words cannot be sounded out in the usual way and should be previewed or simply provided.

How should I support my child when reading at home?

When your child gets stuck on a word, encourage him/her to have a go at sounding out the word. If necessary, demonstrate what this looks like first. Remember to praise with abundance when your child is successful at working out a word or when your child goes back to have another go. Never tell your child to ‘guess’ a word or use the picture to help them. Always keep the focus on letters and sounds. Learning to read initially requires a lot of effort for many children and at this early stage much patience is required. It is important to build up confidence and allow them to enjoy success as they work out words with your help. If your child stumbles over a tricky word that can’t be sounded out, simply give him/her the word and ask him/her to repeat it. Once your child is reading more confidently, encourage him/her to think about comprehension and to self-correct if something does not make sense. 

How often should my child read with me in a week and for how long? 

At least two books are sent home each week and can be read several times to build confidence and fluency. Your child should spend at least ten minutes reading with you, about four times a week. Provide a quiet place at home with no distractions so both you and your child can focus on the task at hand. It is a good idea to provide a rest or snack immediately after school, prior to commencing home reading so that your child is well rested and fresh. Try not to rush the session or leave it too late in the day. Creating a positive reading experience is vital. 

Other ways to build reading confidence.

Join a local library and borrow books to read to your child daily. Talk about the stories you read to your child, providing a good model. Restrict screen time and replace it with opportunities to develop oral language. Help develop your child’s curiosity about language and the sounds within words by playing word and sound games, e.g., I spy or reciting nursery rhymes. Revise the sounds for the letters that they are learning and help them work out words using their sounds. As the year progresses, practise the tricky words that they have learned. The most important thing is to keep it light and playful but purposeful.

MATHS AT ST PAT’S; EXPLORING VOLUME

Students in Year 4/5B are exploring volume and capacity and are developing their thinking on how to calculate the volume of a regular shape. Using manipulatives to make, say, write and do, the students are able to work together to demonstrate their thinking.