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Helping your primary school child with reading.

11/3/2021

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Does this picture make you sad, angry, or frustrated? Reading with your kids is supposed to be fun, right?

But what happens when it’s become a battle, with tears or angry standoffs?

Maybe you loved to read as a child yourself, and can’t understand why it’s so hard for your child?

If you’ve reached the point where your child gets stressed about reading, or point-blank refuses to read at all, here are some things that can help:

DON’T try to read books with them. Get around the mental block about books by reading other stuff.

Read labels aloud in front of your children.

Eg. “Oh no – I’ve bought the wrong kind of (toothpaste/ pasta sauce/whatever). This is the one that everyone thought was too (spicy / minty / strong).”

Read instructions aloud. Eg. entering a shop or office “Oops, silly me – this sign says ‘P-U-S-H … push’ and I was trying to pull the door!”

Read signs aloud. Eg. “Great – we’re just in time. Look, the sign says OPEN.” Or “Uh oh – that sign says No Dogs. We’ll have to leave Scruffy in the car and just make it a short walk.”

Find things they WANT to read. Eg. the instructions on a pack of instant noodles or microwave popcorn. Don’t make it for them, make it with them, and point out the important words.

Show them how reading can be fun. Eg. React out loud when you read something funny (on your phone, perhaps) and then share the joke with them, pointing out the words that make it funny.

Write very short notes and leave them on their pillow or in their lunchbox. “Have a nice day” or “I hope the tooth fairy comes” or “I know you like ...

2. Read a simple story to them, then act it out together (Eg. Little Red Riding Hood, Where the Wild Things Are, The Gruffalo).