Tips for encouraging reading throughout the school year

1. STORY TREASURE HUNT - Use lines from a story(ies) hidden around the school and have students find, assemble in the right order and read them.

2. WORD PATH - Turn a path into a word walkway, with rich, evocative words and phrases on each paving stone.

3. 'POETREE' - Make one by hanging words or lines of verse from the branches of a tree or shrub.

4. STORY BENCH - Print or paste cut-outs of words and phrases on to a bench. Make it a staple of the library - a place where children can sit to think, plan, read or write.

5. STORY SACKS - Fill a bag with items that relate to or illustrate aspects of a picture book. Use them as props when reading.

6. BIG READ - Have the whole school vote on the top 10 favourite books.

7. FAMILY READERS - Invite parents/grandparents in to read a magazine, book or anything they have kept from their childhood.

8. AUTHOR VISIT - Invite a local children's author or librarian to come to read to the school.

9. MY OWN BOOK COVER - Have children design the cover of a book they would like to write. Make a school display.

10. FAVOURITE BOOK - Ask children to choose the book they love best. Ask them to write down its title and author, draw something that happens in the book and write or say why this is their favourite. Combine a list of the whole school's favourites.

11. BOOK or POEM BAG - Put a book (older grades) or poem (younger grades) in a brown paper bag with an exercise book. Send the bag home with students, one at a time, for each student to read with parents and to write comments in the exercise book. Write a simple guide on the inside cover of the exercise book. Use open-ended statements, for example: Name one reason why you liked this story/poem. Send the bag home with each student until ALL have taken it home and commented. Share responses with class.

12. WHO AM I? - Have pupils and teachers come to school dressed up as a favourite character from a book.

13. DEAR - Drop Everything And Read. Have 15-30 uninterrupted minutes where the whole school - including teachers and administration - reads.

14. JOIN THE LIBRARY - Give every parent information on the local library and the local bookshop. Encourage them to take their children for a library visit and to sign up as library members. Or, plan a class visit to the local library and sign up the students.

15. WORD LISTS - Have students make a class list each week of new words they read or hear. Discuss meanings and post in classroom.

For more information on reading to your child, contact the Ministry of Education. Email: communications@moey.gov.jm, or call 502 5827.