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How to hear your child read.
You are probably thinking you already know how to hear your child read and you are probably right!
BRP has just a few special techniques that you need to use to make sure your child gets the most out of this 10 week intensive programme. Of course these techniques can be used to help any child with their reading whatever method your school is using. The techniques described here won't do any harm and can only help.Reading with a parent as often as possible, ideally every night, is vital to the success of the programme. There's lots of research to show that children who read regularly to an adult at home make better progress with their reading.
Once they start the BRP programme every night your child will bring home a bag with between 3 and 5 books in it and a Home/School diary. Just try to hear the child read for about 5 minutes from one of the books every night and note it in the diary. You'll see that one day a week there will be a new book (or section of a book) with an star beside it in the diary. Just make sure you've heard him read the starred passage before the next session so that the Partner can judge properly how the child is getting on with the new book.
Atmosphere
One of the best ways of helping a child gain confidence with books is creating a comfortable, cosy atmosphere. The child needs to feel they've got your undivided attention just for a little while for them to read to you. Try to find somewhere quiet and comfortable for you to sit where you can both see the book. The idea is to share the pleasure of this book with your child.
If you have to do something else at the same time, try to make sure the child still feels they have your attention. One parent used to combine hearing her daughter read with doing the washing up each evening. She found it made a quiet time in the day and they both started to look forward to spending that time together enjoying a book. Parents often surprise themselves by finding they enjoy the books and the 5 minutes reading time as much as the child does.
Often older children who do BRP have lost the habit of being heard by a parent. It's fairly common that as a child gets older and better at reading we think they don't need us to hear them anymore. It's just not true!An older child need our attention just as much, and sometimes more, than younger brothers and sisters.
Role models for boys
If a Dad or another close male family member can make time to hear boys read it can make a huge difference to the child's attitude to books. Even if it's only occasionally it will help. Dads sometimes worry that the reading material will be boring but remember in BRP we are trying to make sure that the child gets things to read that will really interest them. Sharing and enjoying a book together can be a really positive time for fathers and sons. Of course it doesn't have to be Dad who hears the child read. We've found that grandfathers, uncles and older brothers all make good reading partners. It doesn't have to be the same person doing the listening all the time either, the role can be shared.
Reading the books
On most nights the child can choose a book they are already familiar with from the book bag. There's no harm in them re-reading a book or a favourite passage several times.
Sometimes children will spontaneously start telling you about the book. If not try to get them to talk about the pictures, ask questions about what they think might happen in the story, ask about the characters or if they have read the book already ask them to choose their favourite bit to read to you. Children will often choose a section that they enjoy reading. In most cases this will be something they've read before. Encourage them to put lots of expression into their reading if it's a fiction book.
On one night a week - usually the night before the last session of the week the child will have been asked to read a particular part of one book. There will be a star beside this book in the Home/School diary and usually a reminder of when it has to be read by.
Mistakes
Only if all else fails should you give the child the word. You should be expecting the child to be struggling with about 6 words out of every 100 on the newest book in their bag. The ones they've had for longer they may well be able to read without any mistakes. It's that new book that is the little bit harder that will push them on to the next reading level so be ready to give lots of praise when they manage to get through the section.
If the child gets stuck on a word encourage them to have a go, one of the mottos of BRP is:
Never say "I can't read it" always say "I will try."
Start by encouraging the child to sound the word out. Even if they only manage the first sound you can praise them for getting part of it right. If sounding doesn't work encourage them to read the rest of the sentence , using that and the initial sound they may be able to work the word out. Pictures can also provide a clue as to the right word. If the child makes a mistake try not to rush in to help and supply the correct word. It's important to let the child make errors. This gives them the chance to self-correct and being able to do that gives their confidence as readers a huge boost. Instead of telling them when they make a mistake try to use these phrases:
- Does that look right?
- Does that sound right?
- Does that make sense?
If a child is making so many errors that they are losing the sense of what they are reading draw the session to a close and make a note in the home school diary. It may be that the book is a little hard or that the child is just too tired to concentrate. Reassure the child that they've tried hard and that you are not angry or disappointed.
Praise
One of the rules of BRP is that praise needs to be specific. You need to tell the child not just that they've done well but exactly what it is they've done that you are pleased with. This might feel a bit weird at first but try to say things like
- "I really liked the way you read this sentence. You put lots of expression into it!"
- "It was good that you realised you'd made a mistake and went back and changed that word."
- "You did well to work out what the first sound in that word was" (Try not to mention it even if they needed a little help to finish it.)
Usually we find that the child will gets used to this sort of praise and will start saying things like:
- "Did you like the way I read this bit?"
This is a very good sign!
Remember children often don't hear praise if it's followed by a 'but', they just hear that they made a mistake.
Categories: BRP | Parents | Praise
