We are a Little Wandle School supporting Early Reading through a Little Wandle approach
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Please watch the following video to help support your child with early reading
Reading with your child
Reading with your child is one of the most important and bonding experiences you can have with your child. When we spend just 10 minutes reading with or to our child, it has huge benefits for them across their learning. It sparks their imagination, their problem-solving skills, their enjoyment of learning and many more parts of their brains. It is not something to stop doing once your child can read on their own. Those shared books, read as part of the bedtime routine, give important bonding and social cues to our children.
We know it is not always easy though. We understand that reading may have been a tricky subject for some of our parents, that the day is busy and time is not always on some of our parents side, that some of our parents might feel embarrassed putting on voices and becoming the characters in the books. However we want to support you in your reading journey with your child. Below are some tips from the https://www.worldbookday.com website which is run all year long and has tips and support for supporting the love of reading from pre-school up to secondary school.
Your child's teacher is always the first 'port of call' when enquiring about their place in their reading journey, but we also have a dedicated Reading Centre here at Goldstone and a Reading Team made up of teachers who would always be happy to support general queries. Email the office at admin@goldstone.brighton-hove.sch.uk marking it to the reading team or email Mrs Iso Aplin at isoaplin@goldstone.brighton-hove.sch.uk.
10 Tips on how to share stories with children
1. Be prepared
Sharing a story should be fun for everyone, even grown-ups! Read it yourself first and have a think about the characters and plot. If you love it, chances are they will too! This also means that there will be no surprises that might trip you up as you read.
2. Get comfy
Are there enough cushions and blankets to sit on? Can you be heard? Is there enough light? If your children are easily distracted, they can draw or play games quietly while you read; they’ll still reap the benefits of your storytelling.
3. Holding the book
Now it’s time to tame those pages so you can read the text and your kids can see you. You can hold the book wide open and to the side or put it between laps. Plus, you can use your free hand to point out pictures and for grand gestures.
4. Get into character
Using voices and songs is a great way to bring the story to life. You can go high or low or change the speed from fast to slow to show the difference between characters. Songs are also great and you can write your own catchy tune or borrow a well-known melody.
5. Mix it up
Changing tempo is a great way to grab children’s attention and build suspense or add humour. Try slowing down or speeding up for different scenes. With emotional books, it’s especially important to keep it real, so make the differences subtle.
6. Vary the tone
If you’re ready to add more strings to your bow, try contrasting your tone which is good for sharing both voices and narration. How about switching from monotone to musical? Whispering can also be great fun as it feels like a secret and kids love secrets!
7. Add movement and props
You can take it to another level by adding movements and props. Make your movements as big or small as you like and invite the kids to join in. Maybe their arms become flapping wings or a wooden spoon becomes a paintbrush.
8. Make it interactive
Involve your listeners! You can ask them to repeat sentences, encourage them to add sound effects, get them to count and name what they see and even let them guess what’s coming next.
9. Discuss as you read
Speak your thoughts aloud as you read. Is there something similar you remember happening in the world? Or a related memory from your childhood? Set an example and your listeners will become active, engaged readers who make their own connections.
10. Take it to a new level
Challenge kids with stories above their reading level. When you get to something difficult or new in the book, stop and repeat it slowly. Tell them what it means, what it makes you think of, other words that mean the same thing and use it again in another context.
