You can support your child by:

• Talking about books, reading together and making reading an enjoyable, shared activity.
• Allowing your children to see you reading and writing in everyday life – reading for pleasure, sharing a story with your child, using a recipe, making a shopping list, writing a birthday card or reading street signs. This teaches them that reading and writing are useful skills in today’s world.
• Avoid giving rewards for reading -- a considerable body of research has repeatedly shown they undermine intrinsic motivation (the drive to do something because you are interested in it and enjoy it).  We aim to foster intrinsic motivation to read, making only temporary and sparing, if any, use of non-reading-related prizes such as stickers, coupons, or toys, and avoiding using reading and writing as “punishment”