While other academic skills may overlap one subject or another, reading is unique since it spans every subject and gives your child more control of the learning process. This is a reminder to parents of just how important reading will be to your child’s academic future.
Becoming more proficient in reading helps your child process new information more easily and opens the mind to new ideas. Developing strong reading habits now will build better vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and writing skills for learning throughout life.
One of the first things parents can do to encourage reading is demonstrate a love for reading themselves. Reading to your child at an early age shows reading can be fun and establishes a daily reading routine
Often, the more you read aloud to children, the easier it is for them to learn to read for themselves. It also serves to reinforce the skills your child will need to become a more proficient reader.
As children mature and begin reading on their own, parents should take care not to turn reading into a chore. You can make reading fun by encouraging children to read what intrigues them, taking weekly trips to the library, and showing interest in what your child is reading. Reading a story out loud, together can be really fun and make stories come to life.
While learning can be fun when a child is proficient in reading, it becomes a major challenge for one who’s not.
Kindergarten to 3rd grade is a critical time in laying a strong foundation for reading skills. Without a solid foundation in reading, virtually every other learning skill will suffer. But, it’s never too late to get extra help when your child needs it.
If your child reads slowly, or struggles with completing class assignments and homework on time, now is the time to call Penguin Tutoring for a Free Assessment. www.penguintutoring.co.za/
Your child may need help with individualised instruction to get on track toward reading proficiently.
As a parent, you know that reading is important, and you probably feel frustrated if your child doesn’t like to read. Many forces in children’s lives pull them away from reading–television, video games, and after-school activities–but finding a way to incorporate reading activities into your child’s daily routine may not be as difficult as it seems.
Try the following:
- Learn more about your child’s interests and suggest magazines and articles that relate to those topics. In fact, one special friend says the way to make sure you keep in touch with each child throughout their lives is to develop your own interest in one of their interests so you will always have something to talk about, read about and discuss.
- Good movies can be a starting point for pleasure reading–after seeing a movie based on a book, children will be motivated to read the book.
- Sometimes travel sparks reading, and finding books that relate to a place you visit on a family vacation can get a child hooked.
- Keep books and other reading materials at home.
- Read books with your children! Children of any age can appreciate being read to.
- Be a good role model and let your child see you reading.
Motivating children to read is one of those agony-ecstasy tasks every parent and teacher faces sooner or later. When the desire to read is planted, nurtured, and grows—ecstasy; but when an appreciation of reading fails to take root—agony…for the parent, teacher, and child. What we do know is what won’t work (nagging, bribing, criticizing).
“The most effective way to encourage your children to love books and reading is to read aloud to them, and the earlier you start, the better. Even a baby of a few months can see pictures, listen to your voice, and turn cardboard pages.” http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/articles/motivating-kids-to-read.htm
Author: Cheryl Carter
Website: http://www.penguintutoring.co.za
