Some tips on making the most of reading with your child:
•Choose a time and a place where you can be quiet and give your child lots of attention. Make the occasion a special one.
•Turn off any distractions such as the TV, music or the computer.
•When you are reading aloud, show your child that you are having fun!
•Involve your child. Let yourself be interrupted with questions; talk about what you think of the story and the pictures.
•When your child has started learning to read, follow the text and encourage him or her to point to the words as you go along.
•Establish a routine. Try to devote some time every day to reading.
•Take your child to your local library and involve him or her in choosing books.
•Notice what kinds of stories your child enjoys and look out for ones with similar themes.
•When you are reading aloud, praise your child for listening well and sitting still. When your child is learning to read to you, give praise and encouragement too, but be sure to gently correct your child when he or she makes mistakes.
•Help build your child's vocabulary and memory skills by supplementing reading sessions with audio books on car journeys and after meals or at bedtime. Audio books are especially helpful in building memory skills and supporting the learning of dyslexic and autistic children.
Sharing your child's journey into reading can be one of the most rewarding experiences of parenthood. You owe it to your child, and to yourself, to make it a priority in your daily life.
