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Reading advice for families of primary school age children

5 - 8 years old

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1. Encourage your child to read to you. Follow the words with your finger and sound out the words (c-a-t: cat).
2. Be positive. Praise your child for trying hard at their reading. It's all right to make mistakes.
3. It's not just books. Point out all the words around you: labels on food, street signs, etc.
4. Keep in touch with your child's school and ask their teacher for suggestions on how you can help with reading and writing.
5. Read yourself. Set a good example by reading for pleasure and talking about the reading you do at work and home.
Light bulb icon Find your family's top five reads. Ask everyone in your family to name their favourite reads - it could be a book, magazine, comic or newspaper. Involve grandparents, cousins etc. And see if the neighbours agree.

Reading advice for families of primary school age children

9 - 11 years old

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1. Encourage independent reading but remember, children will still love a bedtime story.
2.

Help your child to read aloud with expression so the story comes to life. This will help them read more fluently.

3. Don't worry if your child reads newspapers, magazines, comics and the internet as well as books.
4. Discuss reading. Ask your son or daughter about what's interested them in anything they've read recently
5. Read yourself. Set a good example by reading for pleasure and talking about the reading you do at work and home.

PDF Doc icon Download A4 advice sheets

RIF logo5 to 7-year-olds
7 to 11-year-olds



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