Part 1

1. Ask your child to choose a non-fiction book from the library. Try to link this to the child’s topic at school, the school website should have the information if your child doesn’t remember.

2. Read one page from the book to yourself and pick out one or two pieces of information that your child needs to listen out for.

3. Then ask your child questions linked to this information, for example, ‘Name three things that reflect light’ or ‘How are fossils made?’

4. Read the page out and then repeat the questions.

5. Discuss the answers together.

6. If your child gets the answer wrong, model the correct answer first. Then reread and ask the question again.

– Read a longer section from the book.

– Ask an extra question.

– Only ask the questions when you finished reading the page.

– Your child can write key words or draw simple pictures to help remind them what they are listening out for.

– Repeat what you are listening out for.

– Whilst reading, pause or exaggerate your tone when you get to the key information.

– Ask the child to listen out for a specific word linked to the topic e.g. sedimentary rock

– Read a shorter section of text.

1. Teach and model to your child that our opinions are not the same as facts. Giving them the language to use such as ‘I think… I feel… I believe’will help them give their opinion without insinuating it is the only truth.

2. In response to others’ opinions they can use the statements ‘I can see you think that…. I understand you believe…. I recognise you feel differently…’

3. Asking ‘Would you rather…?’ questions is a fun way of showing a difference of opinion is healthy and welcomed. ‘Would you rather have a pet dragon or a pet dinosaur?’ The whole family can join in, don’t forget to model how to justify your view. For example, ‘I think a pet dragon would be better because they can breathe fire and light our bbq quickly!’

– Ask more abstract questions that require a longer answer. For example, ‘Should we walk and cycle more instead of taking the car?’

– Give your child a choice. For example, would a dragon be better because it can breathe fire, or would dinosaur be better because it is very tall?

– Give your opinion and discuss whether your child agrees with you.

https://www.rolemodels.me/news/express-opinions-confidently/ 

1. On a blank piece of piece of paper, draw a line nearly the width of the paper. Write ‘unlikely’ on the end of the line on the left and ‘likely’ at the end of the line on the right:

                                  —————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Unlikely                                                                                                                                                            Likely

2. Write the following words on slips of paper: certainly, definitely, probably, possibly, potentially, usually, occasionally. Discuss where on the line each word will go and why. Discuss it with other members of the family, does everyone agree?

3. Use these words when asking your child questions. For example, ‘Will we have to go to school tomorrow?’ ‘Yes, we definitely have to go to school tomorrow!’ ‘Will you have cheese sandwiches for lunch?’ ‘I will probably have cheese sandwiches.’ ‘I usually have cheese sandwiches’.

4. You will need to model lots of the answers at first until your child is more confident using the vocabulary

– Use the vocabulary to compare people’s choices. For example, I am definitely going swimming tomorrow and my brother may possibly join me.’

– Start with less words.

– Choose the easiest words first, like certainly and definitely, to place on the line.

– Give your child a choice of where the words should go.

– Place the words yourself and ask if your child agrees with you.