As parents, we want to do all we can to help our children learn to read. Where is a good place to start, particularly in our busy days?
The new English K-2 Syllabus (NESA, 2021) describes texts as ‘print, digital or spoken forms of communication’. So, opportunities to read and engage in print are everywhere!
This includes the stories you tell your children about your country and your land, the signs you pass while driving down the road, the podcasts and audio books you and your children listen to, the comics and graphic novels that have more pictures than words, the instructions to the Lego kit, the Minecraft hacks, machinery manuals and of course the recipes you follow together.
Being exposed to all these different forms of texts supports your child’s vocabulary which then further helps them to access texts, while also encouraging reading as a pleasurable activity.
So how can you help your child develop their reading skills? Simply engage with print, both oral and written, tell stories to each other, or share an audiobook/podcast. Talk with your child, enjoy all types of books together – before, during and after the story. And remember how powerful it is for your children to see you enjoying being a reader too - enjoy!
