10 Ways to Encourage Your Child to Read
1. Let your child see YOU reading! Children imitate what they see, no one more than their parents and caregivers.
2. Help your child find things to read that suit their interests. This might mean even wildlife or sports magazines.
3. Offer other special incentives to encourage your child's reading. Allow them to stay up an extra 15 minutes to finish a chapter; promise to take your child to see a movie after he or she has finished the book on which it was based.
4. Limit your children's TV viewing in an effort to make time for other activities, such as reading. Never use TV as a reward for reading, or a punishment for not reading.
5. Have older siblings read to younger siblings. Children often enjoy sharing their expertise to an admiring audience.
6. Schedule a family reading time, maybe 20 minutes before bed.
7. Play reading-related games. Look through your closet for games that involve spelling or games that have cards that require reading directions, etc.
8. Take your children to the library regularly.
9. Read with a purpose. Make your grocery list before shopping and have your child read it to you in the grocery store.
10. Read aloud to your child, especially a child who is discouraged by his or her own poor reading skills. The pleasure of listening to you read, rather than struggling alone, may restore your child's initial enthusiasm for books and reading.
"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body."
~ Sir Richard Steele
1. Let your child see YOU reading! Children imitate what they see, no one more than their parents and caregivers.
2. Help your child find things to read that suit their interests. This might mean even wildlife or sports magazines.
3. Offer other special incentives to encourage your child's reading. Allow them to stay up an extra 15 minutes to finish a chapter; promise to take your child to see a movie after he or she has finished the book on which it was based.
4. Limit your children's TV viewing in an effort to make time for other activities, such as reading. Never use TV as a reward for reading, or a punishment for not reading.
5. Have older siblings read to younger siblings. Children often enjoy sharing their expertise to an admiring audience.
6. Schedule a family reading time, maybe 20 minutes before bed.
7. Play reading-related games. Look through your closet for games that involve spelling or games that have cards that require reading directions, etc.
8. Take your children to the library regularly.
9. Read with a purpose. Make your grocery list before shopping and have your child read it to you in the grocery store.
10. Read aloud to your child, especially a child who is discouraged by his or her own poor reading skills. The pleasure of listening to you read, rather than struggling alone, may restore your child's initial enthusiasm for books and reading.
"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body."
~ Sir Richard Steele
Top Tips for Parents to Help Struggling Readers at Home
Reading the words from left to right is often difficult for struggling readers. Encourage your child to follow the words with his finger or by putting a card under each line to focus on what is being read.
When your child is choosing a book, ensure that it is not one that is too difficult- do the five finger test. For each word that your child finds difficult, fold down a finger. If all five fingers have been folded down by the end of the page, the book is probably too difficult and a different level should be chosen.
When the reader comes to an unknown word, it often helps to sound out the vowels first and then go back to sound out the word from beginning to end. Remember to give your child a chance to sound out the word rather than telling them straight away.
Keep reading sessions short and sweet (for enjoyment rather than stress for all!) and focus on reading together rather than the child having to read to you. Take turns reading or read the book together. Children will let you know when they would like to take over.
Encourage your child to read anything- children love magazines, comics and websites. If your child is excited or interested about something, encourage him or her to read about it.
Praise your child! Pick a specific thing that your child has done well whilst reading and tell them, e.g. "I loved the way you sounded out that word."
Remember reading is supposed to be fun! Keep the reading experience positive and the mood up-lifting!
