Home Reading

The prep students will attend library time tomorrow morning and will be encouraged to borrow a book from the Junior School Library to take home. We have organised a Prep Reader’s Notebook for all children and a Reader Folder for all children whose essential items have been processed. The Reader’s Notebook is used to respond to library books your child has read on their own or with others through writing, drawing, photography, cooking, creating, dancing etc. Your responses is limited only by your imagination!

The junior school library books can are found in tubs organised by colour along one of the walls in the library. The Preps will take a “blue” or a “green” book home this Thursday. Books do not need to be swapped every night. Good practice involves borrowing a book and reading it multiple times. You may read the book to your child first, modelling how to point to each word. The next time, re-read the text and see if your child can join in. This helps to practice reading common words and develop reading confidence. Encourage your child to make an entry into their Reader’s Notebook after they have read the book a few times.

Some tips for reading at home with your child:

  • Ensure that reading is enjoyable for both you and your child (this is VERY important!)
  • Discuss the book prior to reading to give confidence.
  • Look at the pictures and draw attention to images that are mentioned in the text.
  • Draw attention to some initial letters in words and what sound they make in that word.
  • Not all mistakes need to be corrected (while your child gains confidence)
  • Try not to always give the answer, be patient and give your child time to think.
  • Re-read sentences from the start and say the first sound of unknown words (point to the supportive images to give clues).
  • Always encourage any attempt to read and decipher the text.

This is a fantastic video that shows a positive home reading experience.