Children who love to read have an advantage when it comes to academics. This in turn leads to increased opportunities when it comes to higher education and career prospects. However, many parents find that their child is a reluctant reader and are at a loss for how to motivate and encourage them to read for school, let alone for pleasure.
Here are seven easy and inexpensive things that parents can do to raise enthusiastic, eager readers.
1. Get library cards for the whole family, if you don’t already have them. Let your child know that this is a big deal and that taking on this responsibility is a sign that he or she is maturing. Look for fun events at the library, such as story times, to get your child excited at the prospect of going to the library. Having library cards will allow you to provide a wide variety of books for your child without going broke buying them.
2. Find out your child’s current interests and look for books that match them. It can be something ongoing, such as a fascination with dinosaurs or fairies, or something triggered by a recent event, such as worms after a rainfall or outer space after learning about stars at school. The children’s librarian at your public library can help you find engaging books that are suitable for your child’s reading level. Read the books with your child and afterwards talk with him or her about everything you learned.
3. Make reading out-loud together a part of your family’s routine. Of course, you’ll want to read to your child, but let them read to you, too. Even toddlers who can’t read yet can tell you a story based on the pictures and what they remember of the story. Reading out loud will help your child become a more fluent reader, which in turn will help raise his or her enthusiasm for reading. Many children do not enjoy reading simply because it is such a laborious task for them. The more practice they can get to help them become fluent, the better.
4. Reward your child’s efforts. If your child is one of those for whom reading is intrinsically pleasurable, great. If not, don’t be afraid to dangle a few carrots to get them reading. A sticker chart to show their progress with a reward once they’ve met their goals is perfect. Let your child know that the reward is for their continued effort and hard work and that you are proud of them for doing their best to become a master reader.
5. Don’t be too picky about what books your child reads. Do avoid material that is unsuitable for small children such as violent and sexually explicit comics meant for older readers, but unlike junk food, “junk” books often lead to a richer, more edifying reading diet later in life. Do encourage your child to branch out, but if they want to read gross-out books, or books based on one-dimensional cartoon characters or princess everything, let them. You can help diversify your child’s reading experience by choosing better literature to read out loud together as a family.
6. Don’t try to push your child too hard, too fast. Reading isn’t a race! Don’t constantly choose books that are too difficult for your child to read. This will only frustrate them and make them dislike reading. If you want to expose your child to books that are too difficult to read, read them to your child at bedtime or get them on audio to listen to during car rides. Don’t be so quick to push your child from picture books to chapter books either. Many chapter books are written with a rich vocabulary and complex themes with illustrations that enhance the story. While you’ll eventually want your child to be able to sustain the attention necessary to read and absorb a chapter book, they aren’t necessarily better than picture books when it comes to teaching and reinforcing reading skills.
7. Set a good example. Children whose parents read for pleasure are much more likely to do it themselves! It’s very easy to get into the habit of turning on the tv and zoning out after a busy day, but make the effort to read instead. It will do you some good and give your children a wonderful example. Incorporate trips to the library into your weekly family routine. Let your children hear you talking to other adults about wonderful books and books series. Instead of music on every car trip, try listening to child-friendly books on tape.
Children understand what’s really important to us adults by observing what we do, not what we say. Let your child see firsthand how rewarding reading is by seeing you do it. As a bonus, it’s almost certain that you’ll fall in love with reading all over again!
{ 0 comments… add one now }