Recommended Reading
Every parent knows the stress their children are placed under at school, from a very young age, due to the exam system that exists in our educational circulum. From a time when they should be enjoying learning, they are placed with test papers in front of them, and it can be inhibiting and frightening for pupils and parents alike.
English at Key Stage Two should be about understanding and enjoying stories. Those children who love books, who read for pleasure tend to almost always excel at their SATs without any past paper practice - and that is the way it should be. English Literature is a subject which all children need; it will feed into every aspect of their lives, from their choices of GCSE to the first email they write to apply for a job. If children can be encouraged to know they can 'do' English from a young age, better yet to enjoy it, a great part of the educational battle is won forever.
If you want to help your child at their young age to improve and feel confident in their reading and literature, it's easy. Read to them - ask them questions about the pictures and the characters. Provide them with stories read aloud on CD (Harry Potter by Stephen Fry being a clear winner!) in the car on the school run. Make English fun, and you will be amazed at their ability improving in English and, more often than not, all other subjects - and they will be enjoying learning, instead of worrying about exams. There is plenty of time for that in later Key Stages; for now, let's enjoy the gift of reading and stories.
