Reading
Reading for pleasure and enjoyment
The most important thing is that children from the very earliest age regard reading as a pleasurable and enjoyable activity. You don't have to buy lots of books. You can take your child to join your local library from the day they are born.
Bookstart Bags are given to your child by your Health Visitor as a way of starting off reading together at an early stage.
Reading for information
From very early on, children begin to understand that reading is a way of getting information. Help your child by reading signs in the environment. Let them see you using maps, directories, shopping lists etc.
Cultural considerations
In written English, the convention is that we read from the front of the book to the back and from top to bottom of each page and from left to right.
We must recognise that in other languages this might not be the case. Bilingual or multi-lingual children will quickly understand the different conventions. There are lots of books with Scottish contexts that young children can enjoy.
Your local library will give you advice about appropriate books for the age of your child and their interests.
Reading and ICT
It is important to remember that much of children's reading is not contained in printed texts and often include electronic digitally generated scripts.
When children are very young it is important that they experience ICT in the company of others. Any technology needs to be designed and physically positioned correctly for their particular seating heights and angles of vision.
Writing and reading
When young children start to make marks with writing tools it is important to help them develop the idea that writing is for reading. Early connections between writing and reading help children value the writing activity. You can help by involving children in your own writing activities eg letters, lists.
A shared experience
Take the chance, whenever you can, to share reading experiences with your children. Share a book, and at an early stage try to select books that are of interest to the child and can involve them in joining in with rhymes, noises and gestures.
Arrange a comfortable place where you and your child can read together. Remember that when children are becoming readers themselves they rely on many different clues such as pictures, shape of words, colour, and repetition.
You have an important role to play in helping them through the process by showing them what a reader does and how enjoyable reading can be.