Support For Early Reading And Writing
📚 Support for Early Reading & Writing
Reading and writing are fundamental skills that develop through fun, engaging experiences both at home and in school. Below, you'll find helpful guides and tips to support your child’s early literacy journey.
📖 Reading Together at Home
📌 Read Together Every Day
Children learn best when they read little and often. Snuggle up with a book or sit together at a screen to share a story at a time that works for you. Try to keep a regular reading slot each day—it's a great way to unwind and bond.
📌 Read Everywhere You Go
Help your child see that reading is all around us! Point out familiar words on signs, labels, menus, and shop names. Recognising words in real-life settings builds confidence and curiosity.
📌 Find Your Favourites – and Add to Them!
Children love re-reading their favourite books, which helps with memory and confidence. Encourage them to enjoy a mix of:
✅ Stories of all kinds
✅ Rhymes & poetry
✅ Non-fiction & information books
📌 All Join In!
Make reading interactive! Encourage your child to join in with repeated phrases from well-known stories. For example:
“Run, run, as fast as you can! You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man!”
📌 Talk About Books, Words & Pictures
- Before reading: Look at the title and cover together. What might the book be about?
- During reading: Ask questions—"What do you think will happen next?"
- After reading: Talk about favourite parts, feelings, and characters.
📌 Retell Stories
After finishing a book, ask your child to retell the story in their own words. Prompt them with:
🗣️ "What happened first? Then what? And how did it end?"
📌 Listen to & Sing Songs & Rhymes
Nursery rhymes help children hear sounds in words. Play with words, make up silly rhymes, and sing songs together.
📝 Phonics & Early Writing
Click on the image below to learn more about our Read Write Inc. (RWI) Phonics Programme and pronunciation guide.
🎥 Watch the video below to see RWI phonics in action, and practise the sounds and rhymes with your child at home to support their learning.