Parent-child reading is fun
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     Christmas and New Year provide a chance for parents and children to enjoy each other's company, and it's a good opportunity to help children nurture a reading habit and love reading by buying them interesting books as gifts or reading with them during the holidays.

     The Principal Education Officer (Curriculum Development) of the Education Bureau (EDB), Mr Lau Yuen-tan, said, "Reading literacy is the foundation for learning. The EDB has always promoted a 'reading to learn' culture, and schools are also active in promoting the culture of reading.

     "As home is the first learning environment for young children and parents are their first teachers, family is the best place to start the cultivation of reading habits and interests in reading.

     "Reading habits and interests in reading should be developed as early as possible. There are three stages of growth and development from birth to the age of 9, and these are 0 to 3, 3 to 6 and 6 to 9. Parents can give children guidance in accordance with the different development stages and act as a role model to encourage them to read more.

     "Parents should talk to babies to expose them to everyday speech, and tell toddlers stories to enhance their language competence in the mother tongue.

     "As children between the ages of 3 and 6 will gradually develop from 'learning to read' to 'reading to learn', parents should create a reading environment at home and visit bookshops and libraries regularly with children to allow them easy access to a wide variety of their favourite reading materials.

     "Between the ages of 6 and 9, children gradually become more independent with regard to reading, acquiring different types of knowledge from books. Parents should continue to engage them in family reading activities but the emphasis should be on discussion and dialogue, and providing them with appropriate reading resources."

     Parents who want further advice and suggestions in helping their children develop a reading habit and an interest in reading can make reference to the series of EDB booklets entitled "Parent-child Reading is Fun" at the bureau webpage (www.edb.gov.hk/pere).

     Topics covered in these booklets include strategies for parent-child reading, what children should read, reading activities and ways to help create a family reading environment and culture.

Ends/Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Issued at HKT 12:01

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