Example books to read together#

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Eggshell#

The Biggest Snake in History#

'Eggshell' and 'The Biggest Snake in History' are examples of the kinds of books your child will be reading in the sixth year at school. You can use the slides to read them with your child.

Reading books your child brings home from school#

In Year 6, your child is learning to read and understand more complex texts and to develop their comprehension strategies.

The books they bring home could include fiction and non-fiction. Often, they will have chosen the books themselves from the school library. If you’re helping your child to select books from your local library, encourage them to be adventurous. It’s good to read a variety of titles, including fiction and non-fiction.

Encouraging your child to read at home is a great opportunity to develop their reading skills by improving their fluency and comprehension.

Before reading#

• Find a quiet place to read together. Choose a time when you both have the energy to enjoy it.
• Be positive about this time. "Great! A new book."
• Activate their thinking. "What’s your book about today?" "Why did you choose it?" "Have you read any other titles by the same author?" "Is it part of a series?"
• Look at the cover to make predictions about the content.
• Encourage your child so that reading is a positive experience. "I like hearing you read."

Reading the book#

• Encourage your child to start reading. "Okay, let’s go. Read the first page for me."
• If your child is reluctant, acknowledge their feelings and offer encouragement. "I can see you’re getting better each time." Offer alternatives. For example, read the first page to get them going or take turns to read a page.
• Read to the end of the page, book, chapter or article, depending on how the reading is going.
• Have a chat with your child about any new words they come across.
• If you’re reading a fictional story, encourage your child to 'read between the lines'. "That was a hard decision for Marie to make. Did you know she was going to do that? Were there any clues in the text that helped you know this?"
• If you’re reading a non-fiction book or article, discuss any photos, maps, graphs, or other visual support. Talk about the way they add to your understanding.
• End on a positive note and give praise. "Well done! I’m looking forward to the next thing we read together."

After reading#

• Encourage your child to discuss the text. "Did you enjoy reading this? Why/why not?"
• Have your child make connections to their own life. "The grandad in that story was very funny. Who’s the funniest person in our family?"
• If you have read a story, talk about the characters. If the story isn’t illustrated, encourage your child to describe the characters as they imagine them.
• Discuss any new language that came up.
• If you read a non-fiction book or article, ask if there was anything your child would like to learn more about. "How can you find that information?"

Supporting reading at home#

• Read the books your child is reading and have discussions together about the books.
• Notice what they are keen on and encourage online research about topics of interest.
• Make your home a reader-friendly home with plenty of books and magazines that everyone can read. You could look for books and magazines at fairs and second-hand shops and ask your family if they have any they don’t want.
• Share what you think and how you feel about the characters, the story or the opinions in online articles, magazines and newspapers you are reading. It is important that your child sees you as a reader and you talk about what you are reading.
• Reading to your child is one of the most important things you can do, no matter how old they are. You can use your first language.
• Help your child identify an author, character or series of books they particularly like and find more in the series or by the author.
• Talk about the lyrics of songs or the words of poems your child is learning and see if there are any links to who they are, and where they come from.
• Visit websites that have content that builds on your child’s special interest. For example, animals, solar system or disc golf.
• Go to your local library to choose books together. These might be books your child can read easily by themselves. They might be books your child wants to read but are a bit hard. You can help by reading a page to them, then helping them read the next one.
• Play video and board games together. The more challenging the better.