The power of reading aloud, even in Year 6

Many parents stop reading aloud once their child can read independently. That is a shame, because the years from seven to eleven are when reading aloud does the most work.

Why it helps

A child can decode at their reading level but understand at a much higher one. Reading aloud lets them meet vocabulary and ideas they could not yet read alone — which is exactly how vocabulary grows.

Make it easy to keep going

• Read a chapter a night, always at the same time.
• Don't stop to test; stop to enjoy.
• Choose something with a bit of challenge and a lot of story.

It buys you time together

Ten minutes of shared reading is also ten minutes of a calm, shared routine — which matters more in the teenage years than most parents expect. Keep going for as long as they will let you.