FACTSHEET
2007EDU0110-001056
Aug. 24, 2007
Ministry of Education
Primary Students
- Let your children see you read, and set aside time each day for family reading.
- Get your children excited about reading by taking turns reading pages or acting out the characters.
- Ask your children to read to you while you prepare a meal.
- Talk to your children about what they read. Ask them questions that require them to read between the lines and think about what they’ve just read for better comprehension.
- Introduce your children to a variety of genres.
- Help your children get a library card and take weekly trips to the library.
Intermediate/Middle School Students
- Establish a daily homework routine. Set up an area away from distractions such as the television and the Internet, with adequate supplies and lighting.
- When it is time for your children to do homework, it will reinforce strong study habits to do yours: balance your chequebook, pay your bills, or immerse yourself in a book. Help your children identify difficult and easy homework tasks and get them to tackle the difficult items first.
- Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child's homework for them.
- Ask your children questions and have them explain what they have just read.
- Encourage your children to write stories and poetry.
Secondary Students
- Continue with the established homework routine. Make adjustments as needed, such as after school or weekend time set aside for working on big projects, especially group work.
- Encourage your teenagers to explore magazines or appropriate websites on subjects that interest them to keep them interested in reading. Most local libraries carry selections of magazines on science, fitness, mechanics, or politics.
- Teenagers should be encouraged to take 20 minutes each night to read over and review their notes for that day or re-write them using colours to highlight important information, in order to retain information learnt longer.
- Keep an assignment calendar on the fridge for quick reference of due dates, exams and how they fit in with other activities.
- Have your children take a break every 10 minutes to help alleviate eye, neck and brain fatigue while studying. This will help them be more productive and retain more of what they read.
