All children want to learn to read, and show their interest in letters and words from 3-4 years on. Most children are able to decipher simple words at around 5-6 years. It is especially important, when it comes to reading, to adapt to the individual development of every child: to hold him back is as harmful as to urge him forwards. One has to move quickly when he shows interest and take one’s time when necessary. A bad reader will always be an unhappy student, therefore it is vital to come through this stage successfully.

Children learn to read in their strongest language (English or French); as soon as the basic principles are acquired, we start with the other language (3-6 months later). First, the child has to understand the link between the oral sound and the written letter, if this was not acquired in the K-level. Then come “letter marriages” and the building up of the syllables; the ability to truly decipher is tested with invented words. Then comes the time for “true” reading, first short texts with well-known words, then texts where the child needs to guess the meaning. It is necessary to read aloud and also in silence, but the most important thing is certainly to read a lot. In our system, the only homework in the primary years is reading books of one’s choice.

Texts should be varied and carefully respect the psychological level of the pupils. A child cannot accept and believe a story in which a mother tells a lie, for instance; for most six year-olds, a mother who lies does not belong to the realm of normal possibilities. And if the story is not credible, it is not understandable either, and thus the meaning of the story escapes the child. Furthermore, the texts should be useful, for instance for the science lessons of the afternoon; they should also be amusing and make them laugh, and encourage them to play with words. Thus every child will discover the pleasure of efficient and fast reading.