Home Reading in EY3
Book bags will go home on Mondays and are to be returned on Fridays.
There are 3 parts to our home reading program…
Library books
Each week the children will go to the library to select two books – their own choice – to take home and read. Sometimes these books may be too difficult for the student to read.
This is a great opportunity for parents to role model what reading looks like. Ask them questions about the pictures, if they know anything about the story or information, or ask them whether this is something they are interested in.
Oxford Reading Tree (ORT) books 
(COMING SOON)
Each week your child will receive 1 or 2 ORT books. These are based on their current reading level, have been selected by the EY3 teaching staff, and will change over time. The children are to read these books to you, or in the case of the wordless books, talk about the images. If they are struggling, you can help them by asking questions about the characters and illustrations as well as breaking down the words to sound them out.
Kids A-Z
Each student has been given a username and password for Kids A-Z, which can be accessed online with a desktop/laptop or on a smartphone/tablet via the app.
Students can choose to listen to books (fiction and non-fiction) or read independently.
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Things to try with your child
Sharing reading
1. It’s still good to share
Don’t give up on talking about picture books with your child and sharing that bedtime story or information book. It’s just as important now to enjoy reading these books together, as well as those that come home from school, to help develop your child’s vocabulary, their understanding of stories and to encourage a love of reading.
2. Read with expression
Read with expression when reading to your child. Use different voices and vary the volume for effect or for different bits of information such as, Did you know that the Tyrannosaurus Rex…? Wow! You’ll soon see that your child will then try these skills when reading to you!
3. Talk about books, words and pictures
Before reading a book together, always talk about the title, the pictures and the information on the cover (front and back). If it’s new, ask what your child thinks the book might be about. If it’s an old favourite then talk about the bits you love most! Don’t worry if some books get chosen again and again!
4. Retell stories or events
When reading aloud use lots of expression and try different voices for different characters. Get your child to join in with bits too, such as, ‘They pulled and they pulled!’ and ‘Fee, fi, fo, fom…’. See if your child can copy you!
Practising early reading skills
1. Listen to your child read
Books that your child brings home from school should be at the right level for your child. The words should be readable for your child – we say they are levelled reading scheme books. They are written to ensure steady progress and success. Many of these books include helpful notes for parents inside the front cover.
2. Sound it out
If your child gets stuck on a word, try phonics first. Get your child to say the letter sounds and say them quickly to try to hear the word; this is called blending . If the word can’t be sounded out then it’s best if you say it quickly and move on. If the book is at the right level then this should not happen too much.
3. Clap and chunk
Clapping out syllables or chunks in words and names can help with reading longer words: Di-no-saur! Cho-co-late! Or point out that some words are made up of two words, so wind and then mill makes windmill .
4. Try expression and flow
Your child’s expression might sometimes sound stilted on the first read of a sentence or a page. This is because they are focusing on making sounds into words. To keep your child hooked into the story, read it again with expression – after lots of praise, of course!
5. Don’t be afraid to back track
It’s sometimes good to get your child to re-read a sentence or even a page if it has been tricky to work out. This helps with meaning, flow and confidence – we all still have to do this sometimes!
6. Read, read, read!
It’s really important to read as much as possible with your child. Read the books that come home from school, borrow library books, buy books and magazines. Read signs and notices, and find interesting websites to read. And keep reading together at bedtime too!
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If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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In the Event of an Emergency Closure
Emergency closures can happen any time throughout the academic year with little or no advanced warning. In the event of an emergency school closure, the safety and well being of all community members is a priority. It is recognized that emergency closure only happens during crisis and that format, responses and staff/student availability will depend on the reason for closure.
The school will endeavor to provide the most up to date in formation for all families in relation to the emergency situation/closure. In the event of a closure, the school will provide opportunities for home learning to minimize the impact the closure may have on student’s learning.
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