We would like all of our pupils at St Michael's to read at least 5x a week at home. By reading regularly, children's fluency and confidence will improve, enabling them to access a wider range of reading material both in and out of school. 

Reading at home can sometimes be tricky, so here are some tips for parents:

•  Set aside a special time – just a few minutes a day is enough to create a good reading habit.
• Be a reader yourself – show that reading for pleasure is not just for children but for adults too.
•  Read to each other – if your child really doesn’t want to read on their own, then read together. You read a page, then they read a page. Or one of you could read any dialogue. Be brave and put on different voices.
•  Value the books they choose to read – all reading is valuable for a child’s development. Some of us prefer non-fiction; some of us prefer comics. One child might like superhero books; another might a book of football statistics.
•  Reading buddies – reading to a younger sibling can boost your child’s self-confidence and communication skills.
•  Audiobooks – audiobooks allow children to experience a book above their own reading level. It also allows you to share a book together or make the most of those car journeys. Listening to a story over and over again can improve vocabulary and encourage deeper comprehension.

If you would like more support to engage your child to read at home, please speak to your child's class teacher.