Starting School is…
Mayhem, oblivion, cruisey - so many adjectives to describe the start of school! No fear, I’m here for your book related questions.
For first year families, there can be a lot of new information muddied in with past school memories. So on the topic of reading, here are my thoughts:
Enjoy a story each day; it can be listened to in the car on the way to school, borrowed from the library or a chapter before bedtime. Hearing an experienced reader use appropriate expression and fluency is helpful for your child.
In conversation; notice the beginning sound of a couple of words each day. Help your kiddo notice the letter has a name and a sound (e.g. em makes the mmm sound).
Classroom teachers will have a literacy activity planned every day. That means, you can be assured of a response when you ask “did your teacher read a story today?”, or “are there letter games to play?”, or “is there a sound of the week?”.
For families back on the wagon, beware the Summer Slide. Often there can be a bit of a bunny hop start to the year (a driving analogy for those manual car drivers). This means:
There may be a surprise as your kiddo takes home readers at a lower ‘level’ than they finished at the end of the past year. Be reassuring rather than critical or suspicious. Within a couple of weeks things should get moving again.
The curriculum for the second year of school gains substantially in size. Meaning the expectations for reading knowledge are larger. Find out from your school what topics they plan to cover each term so you can back it up at home with a quick chat or by pointing out particular concepts as you read together.
The first month of school each year is often about regaining confidence as a learner. It’s a huge help to beginner readers to hear from you that these things take time and effort.
Be their cheerleader at home this Term, happy reading.
