Independent Reading

In this phase reading is purposeful and automatic. Readers are only aware of reading strategies being used when encountering difficult text or reading for a specific purpose. Readers have greater ability to make connections between what is current knowledge and what is new. They may challenge texts, drawing on evidence from their own experience. These readers can read and comprehend text that is abstract and removed from personal experience. They make inferences, critical comparisons between texts and can discuss an alternative reading of a text.

Parent Tips:

• Recognize and be proud of your child's successes in reading.
• Ensure your child is exposed to a wide range of reading materials, i.e. newspapers, letters, recipes, TV guides, magazines, puzzle books.
• Provide a quiet, well-lit study area.
• Make sure your child uses the library regularly and encourage him/her to take younger children along.
• Encourage your child to read for different purposes, i.e. reading biographies and novels.
• Reading and explaining instructions for using new appliances.
• Reading interesting articles from the community newspaper.
• Reading to younger brother or sister.
• Reading to find out more information about a topic.
• Take an interest in books written by favorite authors.
• Talk about them and give them for presents.
• Encourage your child to talk about books he or she has enjoyed or dislikes.
• Foster thoughtful criticism and comment.
• Support the learning process by guiding and advising. This doesn't mean doing the work for your child.
• Talking things through is very important.
• Talk to your child's teacher about homework expectations.
• Ask if there is anything further you can do to help.
• Let your child see that you sometimes need to discuss and clarify issues to help your understanding.
• Support your child's school research tasks by taking your child to the local library to find appropriate books.
• Encouraging your child to jot down key issues about a topic helping your child to classify this information
• Encouraging your child to explore the topic further by brainstorming topic-related questions using a "question-word" framework - who, how, when, if, where, what, why.
• encouraging your child to use the following procedures when taking notes, e.g. short notes-key words and phrases with the reference book open, long notes- own sentences with the reference book closed.
• continue to discuss ideas, statements and underlying beliefs which are evident in newspapers, books and television programs.