Reading
Reading app
From September 2024 we are using a new app called Boom Reader instead of physical reading logs. This app is a fantastic interactive platform for children and parents to record books they have read. This will encourage children to read at school and at home and help parent encourage and support their children become fluent confident readers.
Look out for your log in details which are sent home from your class teacher. You can also access a Quick Start Guide for this app in the links below.
Why is it important for your child to read at home?
- Reading to your child can give them the opportunity to hear stories & language at a higher level than they may be able to read completely alone. Research also shows that hearing texts read aloud is a significant source of vocabulary acquisition.
- When you read with your child, they hear what fluent, expressive reading sounds like. This, in turn, helps to make their own reading more fluent and expressive – which also helps to improve their understanding of the text.
- Reading together shows children the value of reading. It can also be relaxing and fun for adults and children alike.
- The more often and the more widely your child reads, the better they become at it!
- Reading for pleasure vastly improves spelling, grammar, writing ability and general knowledge.
- Reading is a great way to relax and spend quality time together.
Parents can contact Mrs Ayre our Reading Lead or Mrs White our phonics lead if they want further information on reading at home.
Questions you can ask before reading the book:
- Who is the author of this book?
- Have you read anything else by this author? Is anything similar? Does this book remind you of anything else? How?
- What is the genre of the book: sci-fi, mystery, historical, fantasy, adventure, horror, comedy? What are the features that make you think this?
- When do you think this book was written? How do you know? Does it matter? What would it be like if it was written now?
- What do you think this story is about? What might happen in the story?
- What does the blurb tell us?
- What is the purpose of this book? How do you know?
Questions you can ask while reading the book:
- What has happened in the story so far?
- What do you think will happen next?
- Who is your favourite character? Why?
- Who is the character you like least? Why?
- Do you think the author intended you to like / dislike this character? How do you know?
- If you met one of the characters from the story, what would you say to him / her?
- Why is this page laid out in this way? Could you improve it?
- Find some evidence in the text to support your opinion.
- Pick three favourite words or phrases from this chapter. Can you explain why you chose them?
Questions you can ask at the end of the book:
- Does your opinion of this character change during the story? How? Why?
- Would you change any part of the story? How?
- Would you change any of the characters? How?
- Which part of the story was the funniest/scariest/ saddest/ happiest?
- Find some evidence in the text to support your opinion.
- Did this book make you laugh? Can you explain what was funny and why?
- Do you think the title of the book is appropriate? What would you have called it?
- Is the plot fast or slow moving? Find some evidence in the text, which supports your view. If the author had included another paragraph before the story started what do you think it would say? Would you like to read another book by this author? Why/ why not?
- Does this remind you of any other books you have read?
It is helpful if you...
- Ask ‘What have you learnt from the book?’
- Say ‘Find a part of the story where…’
- Ask ‘What words are used to describe…?’
- Read books together, take it in turns to read and talk lots about the book and the story.
- Read little and often and make reading fun!
Things that are unhelpful...
- Don’t assume your child feels the same way about a book as you – we all like different things.
- Don’t assume because your child can read a word they know it’s meaning.
- Reading words correctly but not listening to what is being read is unhelpful – they may understand the words, but not the story.
Arbor
Arbor
Lime Academy Parnwell uses Arbor as the main communication tool with parents/carers. All letters, newsletters and general information about the school will be sent to parents/carers via Arbor. If you do not have an account, please contact the school office who will be able to help you set one up.
We are a cashless office
The school office is cashless and parents/carers need to use Arbor to make any payments to the school. This includes payments for school dinners, breakfast and after school clubs, school trips and uniform. If you do not already have a Arbor account, please contact the school office who will be able to help you set one up.
Google Translate
If English is not your first language did you know you are able to copy and paste any text on our website, newsletters, Parentmail and Tapestry in to Google Translate. You can select the language you would like it to be converted to and get a translation.