Listening to your child read

[onthebus]

I was chatting to a mum today and we got onto the subject of reading. I mentioned that I try to listen to my DC read every day, even if only for a few minutes. She said that she read TO her DC but never listened to them read as "they were doing that at school".

It did make me wonder if there is actually a proven benefit to hearing your children read regularly. It somehow seems logical to me that practising regularly is a good idea, but I don't make my DC (say) write out of school and maybe practising that is a good idea too?

Opinions? Evidence (either way)?

the proven benefit is that they feel valued and important in their parents eyes. of course it's a good idea to listen to them read, and be read to. writing good too but not as easy to do as picking up a book to read

What age group are we talking? I don't listen to my 7 year old read anymore as she reads her school reading books and her normal books on her own. I listened when she was younger and learning to read though.

When Dd was in infants I listened to her read daily. It was expected thrugh school and we filled in a reading diary nightly. She was heard indidivudally at school daily also.

Last year in Y3 DD was listened to at school a couple of times a week and at home a couple of times a week by me or DH, just a page or two. Rest of her reading (exected to do 20 min reading a night) was done by herself.

It is very similar this year. She reads outloud in school a couple of times a week using a class reader, and I listen to her 1-2 times a week for a couple of minutes.

It is incredibly important to listen to a child read regularly in the early days. Practise is what helps a child learn to read.

However, even when they are accomplished readers they should still get practise of reading outloud. This is why DD's school listen to them every week and I do the same. It is a very different skill to read outloud compared to reading in one's head. When reading aloud comprehension can falter, as can fluency and expression. It is still important to hear them every so often to practise this skill - a skill they are likely to need to use in the future.

DD y2 is listened to once or twice a term it seems so far - I try to listen to her read most days although she prefers to read in her head.

The advantage of reading to someone is the actual sounding out of the word so if it doesnt sound right they hear it and correct themselves whereas when reading in their heads they often don't.

And like Ramona says it makes them feel valued and shows that reading is an vital skill and that their parents place importance on their education.

I make my son read to me whenever he has a school book home. This seems to be infrequently though. He does read loads himself but not out loud.

I kid myself that reading/singing aloud all the big words at church choir will cover some of the bases. I do know that is a bit of a fudge though.

Ds1 has had a weekly reading book since reception (he's now Yr1) And I would say on average we read it together 6 nights out of 7. He has his book day, where he reads it with the teacher, so once a week. We still read him and ds2 bedtime story though. Now he's in yr1, he can bring books home from the school library, and he does quite often.

I actually enjoy listening to him read (esp as it's in Welsh)