Learning to read through play at Perkkaan koulu school

In Henna’s class, those who had already learnt to read helped those who were still practicing reading. Pupils who were confident in reading out loud encouraged others to read and supported the learning of others through group work. At the beginning of the first-grade spring term, the class celebrated everyone’s reading skills by organising a joint reading celebration.

“Reading in our classroom is commonplace. Grabbing a book and reading it for 10 minutes is a wonderful thing. Reading does not have to be a task to complete or require lots of time and planning. I try to make reading as fun as possible. In our class, the children can, for example, read out loud to stuffed animals who serve as reading buddies,” says Henna Antila.  

Such success with the pupils’ reading skills is the sum of many things. The teacher praises the seamless collaboration with the special needs, language and culture teachers who have offered their support on the path of learning since pre-primary school. Another important factor has been to divide the pupils into small groups so that everyone has received the support they need.

In Henna’s class, the pupils read every day in peace. Books and reading experiences are also actively discussed. The week begins with a joint chat about what everyone did and read over the weekend. The teacher tells the pupils about interesting things that she has discovered in the world of books. On Fridays, everyone gets the “read, play and rest” homework assignment.

“I read out loud to the pupils every day and we also listen to audiobooks. We visit the nearby library and look for interesting books together. We use the library services of very actively. Boxes full of books are on their way to our classroom as we speak,” Hanna says with laughter in her voice.  

At school, each pupil has a book to read at all times. The pupils also prepare book reviews, vote on books for the whole class to read and are free to bring books from home. Every pupil gets to read exactly what they want to read. By making reading an interesting, exciting and fun activity, reading skills develop faster.  

“When children are learning how to read, it is important to start with books that are easy enough to read but still offer some challenge. The topic must be of interest to the child, be it ponies, Minecraft or dinosaurs. Letters of foreign origin can be learnt with the help of Pokémon, and a game board illustrated with the Among Us figures inspires to learn syllables. The children’s own interests are great tools in teaching them to read,” says Henna Antila.

The teacher also encourages the children’s families to use library services. Henna says that communication with the guardians has played an important role, from getting everyone a library card to exploring story hours in different languages. The library offers endless amounts of interesting reading when explored together. 

Reading is an informative, free and interesting pastime. It enriches the vocabulary, expands perspectives and also improves understanding of other people. The ability to read improves self-confidence and provides the child with the experience that they do not always need an adult to help them. Reading allows the child to discover fascinating things independently. When learning to read, it is important for the child to understand that the ability to read is the best tool for finding information. Henna Antila encourages guardians to support their child’s motivation to learn how to read by example.  

“If you are reading a newspaper using a tablet, say it out loud. If you are looking for information, verbalise it to the child by saying 'it says here on Google'. Telling stories in your mother tongue is also important,” Henna says.  

Read more about how Espoo supports children and young people’s reading in the Growth and Learning Sector throughout the entire learning journey:

We encourage children and young people to read throughout their learning path | City of Espoo