At Booth Wood Primary School we believe that reading is one of the most powerful tools of learning both in and out of school.
Children who read often and widely get better at it Practice makes perfect in almost everything humans do, and reading is no different.
Reading exercises our brain Reading is a much more complex task for the human brain rather than watching TV, for example. Reading strengthens brains connections and builds NEW connections.
Reading improves concentration Children have to sit still and quietly so that they can focus on the story when they are reading. If the read often, they will develop the skill to do this for longer.
Reading teaches children about the world around them Through reading a variety of books children learn about people, places, and events outside of their own experience.
Reading improves vocabulary and language skills Children learn new words as they read. Subconsciously, they absorb information on how to structure sentences and how to use words and other language features effectively in their writing and speaking.
Reading develops a child’s imagination As we read our brains translate the descriptions we read of people, places and things into pictures. While we are engaged in a story we are also imagining how a character is feeling. Young children then bring this knowledge into their everyday play.
Reading helps children to develop empathy As children develop they begin to imagine how they would feel in that situation.
Reading is a fun A book or an e-reader doesn’t take up much space and is light to carry, so you take it anywhere so you can never be bored if you have a book in your bag.
Reading is a great way to spend time together Reading together on the sofa, bedtimes stories and visiting the library are just some ways of spending time together.
Children who read achieve better in school Reading promotes achievement in all subjects, not just English. Children who are good readers tend to achieve better across the curriculum.
At Booth Wood Primary School, we aim to develop a love and appreciation of reading which will stay with children for life. We hope to achieve this through careful planning and teaching using up-to-date strategies. We aim to use good reading materials and resources within English lessons and Guided Reading sessions and to provide a breadth and range of reading material in school.
‘Reading books helps kids unravel the mysteries of life, both big and small. Children are endlessly curious, and books can provide the answers they need to help them become kinder, smarter and more thoughtful – and to keep on asking difficult questions!’
Robin Stevens, author of Arsenic for Tea: A Murder Most Unladylike Mystery
Home Reading
We have a range of reading books that have been combined to make our reading scheme. The scheme includes fiction, non-fiction and poetry books which are carefully selected to match reading levels and interests. These books are graded by difficulty using reading levels known as Book Bands. Each Book Band has its own colour matched to a reading age and a year group, as guidance for teachers.
Children can change their home reader as often as they want. We recommend that children read with an adult daily for at least 10 – 15 minutes and we ask parents to fill in their reading diary when reading with their child at home. This can be a school book or any book they have at home.
Julia Donaldson’s top reading tips Julia Donaldson has written some of the most popular and best-loved children’s stories including The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child, Room on the Broom, The Highway Rat, Zog and Stick Man.
She is also the author of the popular phonic Songbirds series, part of Oxford Reading Tree published by Oxford University Press.
Watch these videos of Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson talking about some simple and fun ways you can help your child with their reading at home. Guaranteed to make reading fun and help your child develop a love of reading.
Here are some more great websites to explore:
