| Reading and writing with your children can help | | | | own skills. Being able to read and write with your |
| you to build better relationships with them. | | | | children can provide the motivation and support to |
| Reading involves interacting with your child and | | | | join a more formal education class, and create |
| allows you to set a time aside that you specifically | | | | opportunities for voluntary or paid work in schools |
| spend with your child. As you create a relaxed | | | | or the wider community. |
| and fun atmosphere reading together, your | | | | So what can you as a parent to help your child |
| relationship can become stronger. The more | | | | read and write better? |
| opportunities you get to be with your child alone, | | | | As a Parent you need to talk and listen to your |
| the easier it can get for both of you to share, | | | | children in order to make a good start in teaching |
| and parents find that other issues affecting their | | | | them how to read and write. This will give your |
| children can be expressed, and once out in the | | | | children an opportunity to hear how language is |
| open, are easier to discuss. | | | | put together into sentences and prepare them to |
| Stories in books can be used to explain difficult | | | | become readers and writers. |
| situations and discuss confusing topics with your | | | | You need to set aside even just 10 minutes a |
| children. Whether you're at home, on the bus, in | | | | day to read stories with your child as this helps |
| the shops or at the doctor's surgery or even | | | | build important skills as well as capturing your |
| hospital, there are countless opportunities to help | | | | child's interest in books. Books are a rich source |
| your child to learn. Teaching your children to read | | | | of information for your child because they provide |
| and write gives you the chance to talk with them | | | | certain words which may not be used frequently |
| and read together, plus there are fun ways to | | | | in everyday conversations. From their earliest |
| develop their writing skills too. As a Parent you will | | | | days babies enjoy listening to stories and looking |
| have improved confidence in your ability to | | | | at books. |
| provide support for your children. Parents and | | | | In order to make teaching your child to read and |
| especially first time parents are buffeted from all | | | | write as easy and enjoyable as possible, choose |
| directions with information on what they should | | | | books that you both enjoy and then spend time |
| and should not do. Often parents feel inadequate, | | | | reading together and telling stories. You could talk |
| and at a loss as to how best to care for and | | | | about the pictures and characters in the books |
| support their children. The simple act of reading | | | | and make up your own. You could discuss how |
| and being able to achieve positive results with | | | | your children's heroes might use books and |
| your child can be a big boost for your confidence | | | | reading to achieve the things they do. |
| and can be a building block for continued support | | | | Teaching your children to read and write does not |
| and involvement in the growth and development | | | | have to always be formal. You can talk to your |
| of your child. | | | | children about the world around them and read as |
| Teaching your child to read and write can provide | | | | you walk down the street and round the shops, |
| opportunities to take part in organised activities | | | | pointing out signs and words and talking about |
| based in schools or other venues, and form new | | | | them. |
| friendships with other parents through school | | | | Reading together will also help you as a parent to |
| activities, a neutral place where you can take part | | | | correct your children outside of a disciplining |
| in enjoyable, focused activities. This can be | | | | situation which takes the pressure away for both |
| particularly useful if you don't live with your child | | | | parties. As a parent, you can use examples in the |
| or your everyday life does not provide | | | | books you are using to teach your child to read |
| opportunities to meet and mix with different | | | | and write to help them see things differently. |
| people. | | | | Involve your children in your reading interests, and |
| Parents with low literacy levels themselves can | | | | buy them books as presents. |
| use this opportunity to learn and develop their | | | | |