Reading in KS2

As children move through KS2, reading becomes more complex. They are expected not only to decode words but also to understand, infer and discuss what they read. Regular reading at home plays a vital role in building these skills.

 

Reading Regularly

• Encourage daily reading (10–20 minutes).
• Children can read aloud, silently or take turns with an adult. They can even read to a younger sibling or pet
• Re-reading favourite books builds fluency and confidence.
• Encourage reading a range of texts: stories, information books, comics, magazines, instructions and online articles.
• Look for books on topics that you know your child is interested in – football, princesses, cars etc.
• Visit libraries
• Listen to audiobooks

Building Fluency

• Listen for smooth, expressive reading
• Encourage reading in phrases rather than word by word
• Model fluent reading by reading aloud to your child
• Talk about punctuation and how it affects expression

Understanding What They Read (Comprehension)

Ask simple questions such as:

• What has happened so far?
• Who are the main characters?
• Where and when is the story set?
• What might happen next?

Encourage children to:

• Summarise what they have read
• Retell events in order
• Explain key ideas in their own words

Developing Inference Skills

Inference means using clues from the text and prior knowledge to work things out.

Ask:

• How do you know?
• What makes you think that?
• What clues are in the text?

Talk about characters’ feelings, motives and choices.

Building Vocabulary

• Talk about new or interesting words
• Encourage children to use context to guess meanings
• Look up words together using a dictionary
• Collect favourite words in a notebook

Talking About Books

• Share opinions about what you like or dislike
• Compare books and authors
• Talk about themes (friendship, courage, honesty)
• Create your own stories or change come up with alternative endings to stories

Everyday Reading Opportunities

• Recipes
• Shopping lists
• Instructions
• Signs and posters
• Newspapers and online articles

Useful Links

https://www.booksfortopics.com/ - Have lots of recommendations for books sorted by age and topics

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/primary - select your child’s year group, English and look under Reading/Comprehension