Do your kids return home from school every day with no motivation to pick up a book and read? Ryan Spencer, Literacy Expert at Dymocks and State Director of the Australian Literacy Educator’s Association shares tips and tricks to encourage children to read for pleasure.
With the busy lives we lead today, reading often competes with many screen-related activities. With the rise of tech gadgets such as smart phones, tablets and laptops, reading for pleasure can sometimes take a back seat for children.
However, developing a strong interest in books at an early age is one of the strongest predictors of reading and learning success later in life. As a result, parents can play a big role in supporting children to be strong, resourceful and confident readers.
Here are 8 creative tips and tricks that can inspire reluctant children to fall in love with reading again.
1. Get the family involved
Establish a climate at home where books are valued and part of the daily routine. Read to your child every day and then initiate a family discussion afterwards whereby everyone talks about the story and their favourite characters. Having your children see you read and talk about books adds value to this reading time, not to mention it’s a great way for the family to bond and spend quality time together.
2. Let your child be the decision-maker
Children need to enjoy what they are reading in order to be truly engaged and interested. Celebrate book choice and book variety, and encourage children to be adventurous with their selections (even if you don’t like them). For younger readers, novelty books with interactive elements like pop-up displays are engaging and exciting. Older readers may be keen on graphic novels and casual literature, including newspapers and magazines. Regardless of what it is, let your child be the decision-maker when it comes to selecting books to read for enjoyment. Once restrictions are removed, a child’s self-efficacy towards reading increases, therefore leading to an increase in their reading ability.
3. Read aloud to your children
Research from the 2015 Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report reveals that 86% of Australian kids say they love being read books aloud at home as it’s a special time with parents. However, did you know that reading aloud to your kids also offers a host of other benefits? Early reading helps children with their emerging language skills and can boost their brain power too. Reading together also opens children up to new experiences and can help to lessen a child’s anxiety.
4. Switch up the physical reading environment
Did you know that the physical location can affect how reading is perceived and enjoyed by children? Instead of sticking to the same place every day, switch it up to keep things exciting. It may be the living room floor one day, in bed the next and at the park under a tree on weekends. Ask your child what they prefer and have fun with new locations. Avoid noisy or stressful environments, and opt for quiet, tranquil settings. This encourages children to relax around the reading process and look forward to the session.
5. Don’t insist on word perfect reading
Parents are often quick to correct children when they change a word to suit their own meaning. However, children need to understand that it is okay to not read ‘word perfect’ all of the time. Reading is all about understanding context and making meaning. When your child changes a word in the text, they are being a resourceful reader and making sure that the information they are processing, makes sense to them.
6. Engage and remind children with questions
If your child does come across a word they don’t know, resist the urge to give away the answer too quickly. This can encourage over reliance on parents and hinder children’s ability to develop into strong, self-sufficient readers. Instead, ask plenty of questions to remind children of the strategies they can employ to figure out unknown words. Simple prompts like “what would make sense here?”, “does the picture give you a clue?” and “let’s read on for more information” are effective and sustainable.
7. Celebrate reading freedom
If your child is to establish a genuine interest in reading for pleasure, parents must avoid treating every reading session as a learning exercise. It’s hard to enjoy something under stressful conditions. Rather, relax around the process, remove the pressure of expectations and encourage reading freedom. Let your children know that it’s okay to skip ahead when reading or that it’s fine to reread their favourite texts over and over again. If they wish not to finish a book, don’t penalise them for it. There’s no book police!
8. Keep reading fun and exciting
It’s imperative for children to perceive reading as a fun and exciting activity. If dealing with younger kids, turn a reading session into an interactive activity. Use humorous voices and enjoy some role play, with each family member taking on a different character roles from the book. If your children are older, encourage them to seek out books based on popular film and television programs. It’s a great way to extend their interests beyond watching the screen alone. The goal is to overturn the notion that ‘books are boring’.
Ready to start reading with your little ones? Choose from the best selection in Dymocks Children’s Reading Guide
