Charlotte Molloy

Is there any greater expression of love than sitting and reading with a child?”  Joy Cowley.

Reading aloud to children is one of the best ways to cement a love of words and reading. In my opinion, this reading activity is phased out too quickly in our homes and classrooms. Once children start reading independently, there is a tendency to withdraw involvement and support and let them continue their reading journeys alone. However, reading aloud and independent reading are complementary activities. Continuing to read to an independent reader does not impair independent reading. On the contrary, it helps stretch readers in different ways and immerses them in a world with reading role models.

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Charlotte Molloy

How can we help emerging readers progress successfully, intermediate children connect with reading and secondary students maintain that love of reading? How can we help people see reading as meaningful in their lives?

We have not yet answered all the questions about the best approaches to literacy learning, as demonstrated by the current critique of the value of New Zealand’s Reading Recovery Programme and the ‘phonics versus whole language’ debate. But CHILDREN CAN’T WAIT for these debates to be settled, so while we continue learning about what is most effective in literacy development we need to apply what we know about achieving better outcomes for our children now.

We need to develop lifelong readers, thirsty for books, with a habit and love of reading.

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