The Great Big Reading
Challenge.
Parent and Carer Information Guide
Following the huge success of our ‘We Are Writers’ eight week project, we are about to embark on the next part of our
journey. This will take us from February to Easter.
We are looking at lots of different ways in which we can show the children how important it is to
be able to read and the enjoyment that can be gained from it.
We are particularly focusing on the importance of talking about reading; talking about books;
discussing stories and exploring picture books.
This is for every child in our school from Nursery to Year 6. Just because you can read, does not mean that picture books
are not for you… they are for everyone.
What do we think about when we mention
reading? In our experience, most people
What sound do letters make?
just think about de-coding.
How do I split a word into sounds?
How do I blend sounds together?
Yes, that is a very important part of reading
but it is also about SO MUCH MORE…
What does a word say?
When you are reading with your child, read for pleasure. Don’t lose the thread of the story because they are stuck on a
word – encourage them to have a go (what sounds do they recognise from the written letters) but read it with them to
keep the meaning of the story, newspaper or information book.
Some people say to us…..I can’t help my child – I don’t like reading/ We don’t have many books etc etc….
Everyone can sit with their child and ask their child to make up a story around the picture on a page, to describe what can
be seen, or suggest why certain things in the picture are shown as they are.
Some of this term’s Home Learning will be to do this.
As adults, how many times today have you
read?... checked your emails; looked at
FaceBook, Twitter or other social media;
checked appointments; scrolled through the
Sky list for what is on TV; looked for labels in a
supermarket or the name of a shop on the
High Street….we are all reading, all the time.
Home Learning Activities
Week commencing 6.2.17 – talking about a picture – your child will bring a picture home for you to talk about together.
This can continue into half term too.
Week commencing 13.2.17 is Half Term – please take a photo of your child or your
family ‘extreme reading’ – but do keep yourselves safe!
Bring your photos into school and we will include them on our display.
Week commencing 20.2.17 – make book cover that will inspire another child to read your favourite book or go
to Diss Library and borrow a book to read at home. The Library are waiting for you to visit….Sally and the other
Librarians are looking forward to seeing you. Remember to tell them that you go to our schools.
Week commencing 27.2.17 – Talking Pictures 2
Week commencing 6.3.17 – learning poetry by heart (or a song lyric, or a Nursery rhyme – if you are a younger child) –
challenge yourself – how long a poem can you learn? Teachers will give children lots of ideas.
Week commencing 13.3.17 – the family reading tally – what have we read over the course of a day/weekend/week? See
next page for an example of how you might record this. Who does the most reading in your family?
Week commencing 20.3.17 – The Great Diss Bake Off challenge – choose a recipe and enjoy making it together. If it is easy
to eat with fingers, bring some in to share at next week’s Reading Café events.
Week commencing 27.3.17, no specific home learning challenge – enjoy a story at home – reading one or telling one to
each other. We will hold some Reading Café events in school this week.
Family reading tally: who do you think reads the most often in your household. Keep a chart showing each member of the
family and record a tally
(one line for each time and the 5th time you make your tally into a bundle) each time
you read.
It might look something like this:
This week:
Read part of a book
Child’s name
Mum
Dad
Nanny or Grandad
1
Checked social media
Read a text
Read a magazine or
comic
Read instructions
Checked the TV
listings
Read shopping list
11
1
1
111
Readopoly and the Infant Reading Tree continue in both schools with the children being rewarded every time they read to
an adult at home.
Please help your child with this by signing their book each time they read to you and don’t be shy about asking them
questions about the things they are reading.
We will make sure they get their stickers, certificates and other reward prizes for being active learners with their reading.
Some challenges you can talk about at home:
What clues are there
about the story in the
pictures that are not
in the text?
How long can you
read without
stopping?
Do you have a
favourite author?
Why do you like
their books?
How can you change
your voice when reading
aloud to make a story or
poem more interesting?
How good are you at alphabetical
order? Pick any letter – which one
comes before and after it?
How quickly can you find a word in
the dictionary – are you opening it
in approximately the right part to
be as speedy as possible –
beginning/middle/end?
Other activities you could try at home:
 Create a collage in the shape of a river that includes all the things you have read over the course of a week. It could
include book titles, snippets from comics, bus tickets, receipts, wrappers – anything with print on it!
 Challenge a friend to find the longest word in their reading book. Can you find a longer one? Do both of you know
what the words mean?
 When talking about a book, you can ask about the characters, the story so far, the best page (especially in a non
fiction book) or a favourite illustration. But you can also ask…
What do you mean by…?
What other examples can you
find?
Can you explain
what is happening?
Why did they (the character)
choose to…?
What do we mean
by…?
Suppose you
could….what would
you do? Where
would you travel to?
What do you think
about…?
How effective was
that…?
Can you say which is
better and why?
What is your opinion
of…?
Above all, enjoy reading and sharing books, stories, information and pictures.