Reading at Home

Did you know…..

'Children who read outside of class are 13 times more likely to read above the expected level for their age'.
- National Literacy Trust

Think about how many times you have already read something today: in the car, on a food packet, a message on your phone, you’re even this webpage now! Reading is a vitally important life skill and so it is important that we can promote reading for pleasure.

• Sharing stories
  Reading, being read to and sharing books in the home helps to build a child’s vocabulary and understanding of the world. This doesn’t always have to be a bedtime story. Think about a time in your day when you have a spare 5 minutes to read – in the car waiting for the school bell, after school with a snack, after breakfast on a chilled Sunday morning.
   
• Noticing texts out and about
  Pointing out shop signs, things around the supermarket or advertisements on public transport are a great way to encourage reading in a natural setting. This doesn’t always have to be words, this could be what sounds or pictures does your child see, as these are necessary for reading skills too.
   
• Online stories or Games
  These are a great way to engage children in reading without them even necessarily realising they’re practicing reading!
  Websites such as: https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/, https://www.topmarks.co.uk/, https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/, https://www.phonicsbloom.com/, https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/games/learning-area/reading-and-writing, there are also lots of children’s stories that are read aloud on YouTube if necessary too!
   
• World Stories
  We are lucky enough to have an extended community at our school, with families that speak many different languages. The World Stories Website - https://worldstories.org.uk/ is a fantastic, free website that translates stories from English into a variety of other languages, meaning that everyone at home can share stories.
   
• Visiting your local library
  Libraries are a fantastic resource which aren’t used as much as they should be! Not only do you have access to a whole range of stories, there may also be fantastic events happening too.
  If you are local to Canterbury: https://canterburymuseums.co.uk/the-beaney/library/ or for wider Kent library services: https://www.kent.gov.uk/leisure-and-community/libraries.

Don’t forget, your child will have the opportunity to bring a variety of books home each week from school including:

- A weekly decodable book
This is a book which they have read at school, which has been chosen based on their reading level through a reading assessment. Your child should be confident at reading this book and able to talk about it.

- A twice-weekly Enrichment book
These are books that children have picked themselves (a bit like a library). These are stories to share with you at home as they may not be accessible for their level of reading at the moment.

- A weekly Library book
Each week, the children visit the school library and have the opportunity to select a book to bring home and share.

If you ever need any support with reading at home, we are always here to help. Please speak to your child’s teacher, Mrs Hurst (our Reading Lead)/Mrs West (our Phonics Lead) or e-mail the school office – ssis@inspiraacademy.co.uk