I am often asked by parents at parent/teacher interviews, “what can I do to help my child improve their English mark”. Unfortunately, in English, there are no quick fixes! It seems simple, but the best thing a student can do to improve their progress is to READ — at least 30 minutes a day. Students should read widely – a variety of resources from graphic novels, to fiction/nonfiction, to magazines and beyond. Over time they will start to acquire more language, improve their vocabulary, and understand intuitively how sentences are supposed to be put together — something no grammar worksheet can ever do. And parents, that means you need to model reading too! Ask your child what they are reading, maybe read it yourself, share your favourite book, and have a conversation. Happy reading!
“Those Who Read Well At 15 Succeed” – The Globe And Mail February 11th, 2010
“The Most Powerful Innovation” Global Teacher Prize winner Nancie Atwell speaks about reading, time, and choice.
