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Many of us can remember some of our favourite childhood books, the ones where we became completely absorbed in another world, where characters felt real, and time seemed to stand still. It is a feeling we naturally want to recreate for our own children, and at the heart of this is not just teaching them to read but nurturing them to become readers. Children who choose to read, who find joy in stories, and who see books as a source of curiosity and comfort. Reading is far more than recognising words on a page, it is about thinking, understanding language, building vocabulary, making connections, and engaging with ideas.
The ‘Simple View of Reading’, a research-based model, shows reading depends on two essential components: decoding and language comprehension. Decoding, the ability to read words, is taught through phonics in school, giving children the tools to accurately recognise and read symbols on the page. However, understanding what they read (language comprehension) comes from conversations and exposure to language and stories. This is where home plays a vital role in helping children move from simply reading words to truly understanding them.
When you read with your child, or listen to them read, your voice models how language works, the pause at a comma, the lift in tone at a question mark, the energy of an exclamation, or the shift between characters in dialogue. Through this, children begin to understand that punctuation is not just a set of symbols, but a guide to meaning, emotion, and intent.
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Reading also helps children build background knowledge and their understanding of the world, people, places, and ideas. Research shows that children with richer background knowledge can comprehend stories and information more effectively, even if their reading skills are similar to other peers, because they can make stronger connections between what they read and what they already know.
When reading together at home, talk to your child about the story you are sharing, ask your child what they liked, what surprised them, or how a character might be feeling. All these questions help deepen understanding and build connections. Revisiting favourite books builds not only confidence, but also fluency; while exploring new genres, poems or non-fiction texts can spark curiosity.
Creating a cosy reading space, visiting the library, or letting your child choose their own books can also make reading feel special. Even small moments, like sharing a page before bed or reading a recipe together, all contribute to building positive reading habits early on.
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In today’s world of fast-moving digital content, developing a love of reading has never been more important. Reading builds attention, imagination, and stamina, all of which are essential for lifelong learning. Reading at home is not just about practice, it is about creating readers. It is about providing opportunities where language comes alive, where stories are shared and explored and where children come to see reading not as a task but as a source of enjoyment that nurtures their imagination and learning across all areas of life.
Hollie Mckie
Deputy Head of Primary
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