Did you know? Reading for enjoyment...

Did you know... Reading for enjoyment every day is more likely to determine whether a child does well at school than their social or economic background? 

Not only do children who read for pleasure perform better in reading tests than those who don’t, but they also develop a broader vocabulary, increased general knowledge and a better understanding of other cultures. 

Parents are the most important educators in a child’s life – even more important than their teachers – you can play an important role in helping to keep them interested in books. Find out what interests them, help them to find books that will be engaging and fun, and spend time reading together.

Here at Priory, we use Accelerated Reader which aims to get children in Years 7-10 reading every day. Pupils can 'quiz' on fiction and non-fiction texts they read in school and when taking a quiz, they have the option to choose whether they have read alone or been read to. 

For many pupils, poor engagement with AR is because they don't enjoy reading and a great step in encouraging reading for pleasure is by modelling it at home and sharing the experience with your child.  Having books in the home is associated with both reading enjoyment and confidence.

We all get busy and caught up with life, and reading with your high school aged child might be the last thing you feel you can find time for, but it can be made simple. Here are some ideas.  

• Ask your child to read a page of their AR book during the car journey home from school.
• Read a snippet of a news article together each day and engage in some discussion on the topic.
• Read together for 5-10 minutes before your child goes to bed
• Listen to an audio book together in place of watching TV once a week

And remember, reading doesn't just mean novels. It can be: 

• Non-fiction texts such as leaflets and brochures 
• Magazines
• TV subtitles
• Web surfing
• Newspapers
• Audio books
• Ebooks
• Articles 
• Recipes and instructions 

Not only is reading great for your child's academic progress, reading with your child and playing an active role in their reading engagement is linked to enhanced relaxation, calmness, concentration, quality of life, confidence and self-esteem - something that we could all benefit from, especially given the current climate.

Head of English, Mrs Gidden, says... 

A lot of parents think their high school age children are 'too old' to read but the benefits of reading extend far beyond the primary school gates. 

Every Priory pupil carries a reading book so they will always have access to reading material, even after school. Sitting and reading with your child improves their chances of success in all areas in and outside the curriculum.

So let's get reading!