Research has shown that children who enjoy reading and spend more time reading for pleasure have better reading and writing skills, a broader vocabulary, and even an increased general knowledge and understanding of other cultures.

Encouraging children to read

With so many other activities competing for children's time, how can you encourage your child to read for pleasure?
 
Here are some tips for encouraging reading in your home:

• Ensure that your children see you reading. It doesn't matter if it's the newspaper, a cookery book, a detective mystery, short stories, a computer manual, a magazine... anything!
• Encourage children to join in - ask a child to read out a recipe for you as you cook or the TV listings when you are watching TV.
• Give, and encourage others to give, books or book tokens as presents.
• Visit the local library together on a regular basis and enjoy spending time choosing new books.
• Encourage your children and their friends to swap books with each other - this will encourage them to talk and think about the books they are reading.

What if they get stuck?

• Use phonics first. What sound does the word begin with? Can you say the sounds in the word? Blend them together.
• Read to the end of the sentence. What would make sense?
• What is the text about – what might fit here?
• Does it sound right?
• Look at the picture. Does it help?