Published on September 30, 2024
After a 10-week term, Junior School Teachers are feeling proud. We have seen exciting leaps in students’ learning. Now, teachers are analysing data, examining each child’s academic growth, identifying next steps, and making plans for Term 4. Anecdotally, there have been many students proudly parading through the office, showing me their “best writing” this month.
Learning is fragile! It takes time and practice to “stick”. Reading, in particular, requires daily repetition to maintain fluency, word recognition, decoding and comprehension skills.
Throughout the holiday, please to prioritise time for READING. Every day, please carve out time to read to your child, read with your child, ask your child to read aloud, OR read independently. Whatever works! Just read!
If your child is a reluctant reader, try to make it easy on the whole family. Reading is cognitively demanding. Skip the argument, with one of these tips:
- Let your child choose the book.Keep graphic novels, picture books, well-loved texts they’ve read before, and non-fiction books as options. Holiday reading should feel enjoyable, not academic.
- Watch a movie! Read the book afterwatching the film adaptation.
- First, physical exertion. Ask children to read after they have jumped on the trampoline, been for a bike ride, or played basketball.
- Snuggle up. Make it a special time of curling up in your bed and reading together.
- Add a treat.Add a bowl of popcorn, a milkshake, a pet for company, or a new beanbag. Try to make “getting started” easier.
- Keep it brief.Reading regularlyis more important than reading for long periods. 20 minutes of reading (or being read to) is highly impactful.
Class Teachers and Teacher Librarians can always recommend high-interest books to support home reading.
