A practical guide for grown-ups
A little reading time.
Keep it familiar. Give it time. End with a small success. A warm routine can help you approach reading practice together.
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Choose one familiar skill.
Ask your child’s educator which sound–letter patterns are ready for practice. Use a word or short text matched to that knowledge.
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Make the first move together.
Model a sound or blend a suitable word. Let your child hear what to do before inviting a turn. Keep extra vowel sounds off consonants where possible.
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Allow thinking time.
Pause while your child works through a word. If they need help, calmly model it, say it together and return to something manageable.
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Notice a specific effort.
Try “You joined those sounds together” or “You remembered that sound.” Stop while the experience still feels comfortable.
Time to practise
A carefully matched text lets a child use sound–letter patterns they have already learned. Check the match with their educator.
Time for a story
Reading aloud introduces language and ideas beyond what a child can decode alone. Enjoy conversation without asking them to read every word.
Your voice belongs here. Value the languages and accents in your family. Clear modelling for reading does not mean replacing a child’s identity or accent.