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Reading for Pleasure and Reading at Home

At Hayes Primary School we are continuing our drive to encourage more children to read for pleasure.  Research shows a positive link between reading frequency and enjoyment and educational attainment.  Furthermore, reading for pleasure has positive emotional and social benefits, improves text comprehension and grammar skills and increases general knowledge.  We have many initiatives that will be taking place in school over this academic year to encourage reading for pleasure.

  • Daily reading aloud in class from a range of texts
  • Reading assemblies
  • Inspiring reading corners
  • World Book Day
  • Author visits
  • Latest books releases and recommended reads display
  • Subscription to FirstNews

Things you can do at home:

To support your child in their development of reading, we recommend that you spend at least 10 minutes per day reading with your child. This can be a combination of you listening to them read their school book, them listening to you read a story book or even taking it in turns. The sharing of reading is a valuable experience for you and child as it gives you the opportunity to discuss new vocabulary as well as characters, themes and even facts that a range of books can offer.

Here are some other things you can try:

  • Make books part of your family life - Always have books around do that you and your children are ready to read whenever there is a chance.
  • Join your local library - Get your child a library card!
  • Match their interests - Help them find the right book - it doesn't matter if it's fiction, poetry, comic books or non-fiction.
  • All reading is good - Don't discount non-fiction, comics, graphic novels, magazines and leaflets. Reading is reading anf it is all good.
  • Get comfortable! - Snuggle up somewhere warm and cosy with your child, either in bed, on a beanbag or on the sofa.
  • Ask questions - To keep them interested in the story, ask your child questions as you read such as, "What do you think will happen next?" or "Where did we get to last night? Can you remember what has happened already?"
  • Read whenever you get the chance - Bring along a book or magazine for any time your child has to wait, such as at a doctor's surgery.
  • Read again and again - Encourage your child to re-read favourite books and poems. Re-reading helps to build up fluency and confidence.
  • Bedtime stories - Regularly read with your child or children at bedtime. It's a great way to end the day and to spend valuable time with your child.
  • Rhyme and repetition - Books are great for encouraging your child and children to join in and remember the words.

Words for Life

Words for Life logoFor even more reading activites, click here to visit the Words for Life website.  Here you will find activities designed for babies and for children up to the age of eleven.

Have fun!  Why not bring some of the activities in to school to share with your class?

Helpful Links:

Stuck for what to read?

If your child is finding it difficult to know what they want to read, here are some websites you may find helpful:

We greatly appreciate all the support you give in supporting and encouraging your children to read at home and we are looking forward to an exciting year full of reading ahead!

  1. Reading Questions CLPE
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