Tips for Parents
The world belongs to those who read
Have you decided to expand your children’s vocabulary and turn them into avid readers? Then you’ve come to the right place!
At Read and Rhyme with Brown Owl we live and love the English language and are committed to creating literacy resources that help young children take their first steps in learning and reading English.
Our Brown Owl stories are jam-packed with rhymes – firstly, because rhymes simply sound good and secondly, because they make it easier for children to read and remember the language.
Whether your child is of preschool age or older, it’s never too late to start with Brown Owl. We recommend reading our books aloud from age two onwards, and children can start reading them independently from approximately age six*. In fact, our books can be enjoyed by ESL-learners up until the age of ten.
*these ages will vary depending on linguistic background
Although all children learn differently, there are a few fundamental common facts to remember. Preschool children primarily pick up language by hearing and repeating it (auditory). Reading aloud is a great way to introduce them to new language in a real context. Children also benefit from facial expressions, mimes or actions (kinaesthetic) to back up meaning. Why not act out a few scenes together to stimulate as many senses as possible?
At primary school age, listening, expressions and actions still play an important role in language learning. However, children soon become interested in letters, reading independently (visual) and writing simple words and sentences (visual and kinaesthetic). Our “Read and Rhyme with Brown Owl” book series appeals to both preschool and primary age groups and helps children feel at home with the English language quickly.
Each of our books comes with a free handbook with tips for how to introduce, practise and creatively use the new language. Feel free to tell your child’s teacher(s) about our books and introduce them to the world of Brown Owl.
This is what parents have said about us:
This is what parents have to say about us:
1) Make sure you have some English books on your bookshelf for your child to choose from. It’s a good idea to rotate the books and put a new selection out each week to keep your child interested. Let some covers face outwards so that they are attracted to the pictures on them.
2) Find a comfortable place to settle down and read with your child. They will undoubtedly enjoy the one-on-one attention. The more often you read aloud to them, the more natural and relaxed it will feel. Children are happy to listen to the same books over and over again; they rarely tire of them.
3) Try to add small comments or insert simple questions whilst you are reading: “Where is Brown Owl?” (Book 1) “Can you see two elephants?” (Book 2 - see below) “Where are the crabs hiding?” (Book 4)
Get the most out of the stories by adding actions or noises to the animals that you come across. For example, roar like a lion, buzz like a bee or snooze like Grampy! There are also plenty of opportunities to join in the action. You can sing along with “Happy Birthday!” (Book 3) or “The Wheels on the Bus” (Book 4).
Read the words on the page below out loud: “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!” (Book 4) See how fast you can say the tongue twister without getting your tongue twisted!
Ask your child questions about the page, for example, “Do you like vanilla ice cream?” “What’s your favourite flavour?” "What flavour do you think this blue ice cream is?". It’s perfectly normal if your child replies in their native language. Just repeat the answer in English. Your child will still be exposed to the expression.
Do you know the game “I spy”? It’s probably played in your native language, and it’s easy to play in English with our story sticks or flashcards: “I spy, with my little eye, Cat!”
We recommend combining actions with new words to make them easier to remember.
We have also created games to accompany each of our books (pairs, dominoes, game cards, peg cards etc.) that help consolidate vocabulary. You’ll find them in our mini and mega bundles of resources in our webshop. There’s a video demonstrating the many uses of our game cards below.
An action song to teach zoo animals to young learners:
A clapping rhyme to go with the book "Brown Owl at the Seashore":
Rachel reading from "Brown Owl at the Zoo":
How to teach a birthday chant:
If you feel comfortable reading English, why not? In fact, it is never too soon to start reading English aloud to your child. Whether English is your child’s first, second or even third language, young children are always ready to learn new things and are not afraid of new vocabulary, whatever the language.
Simple picture books are an excellent way to introduce your child to the joy of reading books in English. Reading aloud promotes concentration, expands vocabulary and stimulates the imagination. And don’t worry – the rhymes in the Brown Owl stories make it easy to know how to pronounce words that may even be new to you too.