You now have a child who has leaned the skills of reading and is probably quite successful at passing tests but are they using these skills to bring meaning to their world? Are they using them to investigate and research, and for enjoyment and communication? Bringing reading to their world helps with creativity, opens up their understanding of the current issues, allows them to form opinions and learn new things, and, with wide exposure, teaches them to filter out hearsay and innuendo. It is up to you to encourage a love of investigation.

1. Suite 1, Level 1, 4 Nelson Street Kenthurst NSW 2156
Phone: 0411 197 684
Fax: 02 9654 3317
Email: contact@parrotfish.com.au
http://parrotfish.com.au/
What Can I Do To Keep Them
Reading?
You now have a child who has leaned the skills of reading and is probably quite successful at
passing tests but are they using these skills to bring meaning to their world? Are they using them
to investigate and research, and for enjoyment and communication? Bringing reading to their
world helps with creativity, opens up their understanding of the current issues, allows them to
form opinions and learn new things, and, with wide exposure, teaches them to filter out hearsay
and innuendo. It is up to you to encourage a love of investigation.
Reading is an essential life skill and the sooner children get on the path to being independent
readers the easier they are going to find school. So much of what children do in class requires
competent reading and comprehension skills. From an early age there is a lot of self directed
instruction in classrooms and they need to be able to work in groups and individually, from
written and verbal instructions. From very early on they will research internet based information
and have to present their findings in writing and verbally.

2. Suite 1, Level 1, 4 Nelson Street Kenthurst NSW 2156
Phone: 0411 197 684
Fax: 02 9654 3317
Email: contact@parrotfish.com.au
http://parrotfish.com.au/
Reading Texts
 Have a daily reading time that’s especially for them. Reading aloud to kids doesn’t
necessarily stop when they are capable of reading alone. It can be a great opportunity to
introduce and discuss issues, or plot, prediction or simply for fun
 Reading to them regularly allows them to enjoy the stories in books and novels that are
above their reading capability.
 Read a chapter a day after dinner.
 Read along with them, filling in unknown words, so they get to feel the rhythm of the
normal rate of reading.
 Take turns in reading aloud – one paragraph, page, sentence or chapter each.
 Allow them to read books of all difficulty levels. Don’t worry if they choose “easy”
books.
 Encourage them to take a book to bed to read before “lights out”. A bed lamp is a useful
reading aid.
Out and About
 Encourage them to do real world reading as often as possible. Read street signs, recipes,
ingredient lists on packaged foods, shopping lists, menus – anything and everything.
 Talk, discuss, explain, sing – build their vocabulary and general knowledge. It is hard to
work out a word if you have never heard it before.
 Ask them to retell what they have done – “we just made cakes, tell me what we did…”
Technology
 Find some good reading apps.
 Teach them to use the internet to find the answers to questions or to find out about
something that they are interested in
 Have them send emails or text messages to significant people in their life, like
grandparents, to tell them what they have been doing.

3. Suite 1, Level 1, 4 Nelson Street Kenthurst NSW 2156
Phone: 0411 197 684
Fax: 02 9654 3317
Email: contact@parrotfish.com.au
http://parrotfish.com.au/
 Use a camera to take photos of events, put it on to a text document and write a caption.
Using a program like Microsoft OneNote would allow them to document things that are
important to them.
Using reading for enjoyment and to help them add to and decipher their world is its real purpose.
They should begin to do this as soon as they are able.
Source: http://parrotfish.com.au/sight-words-parrot-fish-studios/what-can-i-do-to-keep-them-
reading/