EY1
For EY1, children at 2-3 years old are just starting to connect the ideas of stories with books. Reading with your child is a wonderful way to spend time together, as well as introducing new words and language.
- When making time to read a story find a comfortable space with no distractions or you can try using a cookery book when making cakes and talk about what you need
- Look at books with flaps to lift and sound buttons to push
- Read stories with lots of repetition as your child will like to join in. Leave a gap if there is a phrase they know well so they can say it
- Sing and say lots of rhymes and songs and do the actions together
- Read some books that are not stories so you can talk about facts, especially if your child is interested in something like animals or cars
At this age children like:
- Books with lifting flaps and sound buttons to press
- To be independent and choose my own books
- To hear about themselves in stories
- To listen to familiar stories again and again
At this age children can:
- Look at books independently and turn the pages
- Point to pictures in a book when you say “show me” to show their understanding
- Recognise familiar books by what is on the cover
- Tell stories to themselves or to you by looking at the pictures
EY2
In EY2, children are beginning to understand how stories work and that the words on the page mean something. Reading together will help them start to make sense of those words and they may start to recognise some letters or characters.
- Place books around your home and match them to what your child is doing. You could have a book about transport with your child’s box of cars
- Read stories with lots of repetition as your child will like to join in and tell you what is going to happen next
- Point to words as you read them.
- Make up voices for the different characters in a story.
- When you finish a story, ask your child to tell you what happened. You could draw pictures together or dress up and act it out
- Make up stories about your child, or about when you were little, or about your child’s favourite toy
At this age children like:
- To hear stories about themselves
- To catch you out when you make a mistake in a story they know well
- To find information in books about things they are interested in
At this age children can:
- Listen to longer stories
- Join in with stories they know well and talk about what is happening
- Tell you what might happen next in a story
- Answer questions like “what’s happening in the picture?”
- Retell stories they know well
- Look at books on their own
EY3 and EY4
In EY3 and EY4, children are starting to read themselves and still need your support. By encouraging your child to read to you, being an enthusiastic listener and talking about new words and their meanings, you’ll help them to develop their reading skills. If you cannot read in English, ask your child to retell the story in Chinese and ask them to tell you what is happening in the pictures, what will happen next, who the characters are etc.
- Look at signs and text that you see, point out words and phrases on shops and signs when you are out. Children can recognise familiar words really quickly
- Place books around your home and match them to what your child is doing. You could take a book about insects to read when you’re at the park
- Make up voices for the different characters in a story
- Point to words and grammar as you read. By pointing out the speech marks, your child will understand why you use adifferent voice when they appear
- Make up stories together while you’re in the car. Take it in turns to add to the story and try making it funny or spooky
- It’s great to introduce new stories but make sure you still read your old favourites together
- Create a book with your child by folding pieces of paper in half and add pictures, drawings and words
At this age children like:
- To read books and join in when you read to them
- To hear about themselves and their family in a story, especially if it’s funny
At this age children can:
- Read words and use their knowledge of phonics to sound out words they don’t know
- Understand stories and make up their own, based on stories they know
- Tell you what might happen next in a story
- Answer a variety of questions
| Style |
What type of book is this?
Have you read a book like this before? What other story is it like?
Look at the cover, What do you think this story will be about?
What can you see on the cover? |
| Setting
Where? |
Where does the story take place?
Can you describe the story? Have we ever been to a place like this? Would you like to go here? Why? |
| Character
Who? |
Who are the characters in the story?
Why does that character behave that way? Would you have made the same choice? Do you understand why the character decided to do that? |
| Plot
What? |
What do think might happen next?
What are the main events in the story?
What is the problem in the story and how is it resolved?
What is your favourite part of the story? |
| Theme |
What is the main theme or idea of the story? |
Source: www.surreycc.gov.uk 16/05/2019
