Let’s Get Reading Spring 3
Library Membership: With lots more ‘book talk’ around the school this term, and reading challenges, awards certificates and reading star badges a plenty, the children have shown increasing interest in when and where they can pick up their next book. Only a handful of children thought they belonged to a library so perhaps now would be the perfect time to sign them up. Caterham Valley Library (there is also Caterham Hill Library) is full to the brim of wonderful books and stories, and their online catalogue makes reading even more accessible. Look out for the new version of the library app or visit https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/libraries for more information.
Red Words: Also referred to as high frequency or ‘tricky’ words, these everyday words are often the most difficult for the children to spell and remember. They cannot be sounded out phonetically and just must be learnt. Click the links below for two Ruth Miskin videos that are great examples of how we teach ‘red’ words to the children at school.
Click here for the first video from the earlier set of ‘red’ words that our younger readers learn.
Click here for the second video which contains examples of harder ‘red’ words for more able readers.
In addition, some children find it helpful to recall a mnemonic when trying to spell a tricky word. For example, the mnemonic ‘six ants in disguise’ may help your child to remember how to spell the word ‘said’, or ‘people eat omelettes, people like eggs’, may help them to spell the word ‘people’. There are lots of mnemonics and often more than one for each word. If your child gets stuck on a word or needs help at home, a little prompt to use either of these strategies might help jog their memory.
Sharing a story together: Research confirms that all children love to be read to and that reading to your child still matters. With the growth of media apps and YouTube use rising among children, they are spending less time reading and more time ‘playing’ digitally than ever before. Yet, in a world full of media gadgets, it’s still paramount for children to experience the wonders found in reading a good book. And one of the best places for them to develop an appetite for reading books, is by reading with family while they are still young. When a parent holds both a child and a book at the same time, something special happens. It creates a natural bond by communicating a love for reading and a love for the child. Afterall, there is no app to replace your lap! Joseph Addison, english playwright, poet and politician (1672-1719) once said “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”
