Read it to Me Now!

Following the progress of five four-year-olds learning to read in primary school, the author points out that children arrive at school with their own unique reading histories, learned socially and culturally within their family and community. Gemma, from a working-class family, unused to books, slowly changes reading practices at home; Gurdeep has a rich knowledge of his mother's Sikh tales; Anthony has developed a keen sense of narrative from stories and TV; Geeta was a serious reader before she came to school; Reid thinks he will learn to read with ease. Drawing their stories together, the author suggests ways of moving towards a total literacy environment for children which recognizes the validity of each individual child's reading history.