Demonstrating your own enthusiasm for books is possibly the best start you can give your child when learning to read. Hearing you read to them at bedtime and associating reading with pleasure will give them enormous benefits throughout their education and beyond. Once your child starts school, ten minutes each day spent together enjoying a short story from a good reading scheme is a fantastic investment in their skills. Enjoyable, regular and short practice really does make perfect! Look for a scheme that's especially written for home use and check with your child's school if you're worried.

Look for a scheme that:

• progresses in small steps
• has lots of repetition
• is colourful, fun to look at and has lots of child appeal!
• gives you the information you need to help your child
• contains funny stories and rhymes in simple language
• fits in with the way children are taught at school
• sounds as natural as possible
• is simple enough to give children a rapid, confidence-boosting feeling of success.