BUILDING CHILD'S INTEREST IN READING

HOW TO BUILD YOUR CHILD'S INTEREST

IN READING

By Yudiyanti

One of the most rewarding ways that you can spend time with your young child i s by instilling a love for reading. This will also be very helpful with schoolwork. Encourage your child's reading interest at a young age, as it will remain for a lifetime, but a love of reading can be learned at any age. Here are some guidelines :

Instructions

1.      If you are encouraging your child to become a "reader" he needs to see you reading. Children emulate what they see in their parents and others. If they see you enjoying a book or newspaper, they will want to understand why you enjoy reading. Try reading in front of your children for at least 30 minutes a day.

2.      Read to your young children and do it often. Even if you only have time for a story at bedtime, don't skip it. Reading to your children gives you and the child a special time that you can spend together, while giving them an interest in reading. This can also be a special bonding time between the two of you, a time that he/she can reflect back on later in life. They will remember if you took the time to read to them and so will you.

3.      Let your children read to you. If in school or able to read before he/she enters school, let the child read stories to you. Children love showing off their skills and allowing them a chance to show you how their reading skills are growing will do wonders for their self-esteem.

4.      When you are reading with your child, try not to read the story straight through, cover to cover. Allow your child to ask questions about what is happening t hat might give them further understanding of the story. Asking questions helps them to "build" the story within their mind, bringing the characters to life as they understand it more.

5.      Try adding a "what if" moment to your stories. Sometimes children might not like what is happening in a particular book or they may simply think they have a better idea. Allow your child to change the story up a bit. Try asking the child items like "what if the princesses didn't go to the ball?" or "what if the knight decided not to slay the dragon?" Who knows, you might not only encourage your child to become a reader, but also a writer.

Reading for School Achievements (parents’ and teachers’ role)

Parents are more concerned about their child's progress in reading than in any other subject taught in school, and rightfully so. In order for students to achieve in math, science, English, history, geography, and other subjects, reading skills must be developed to the point that most of them are automatic. Students cannot struggle with word recognition when they should be reading quickly for comprehension of a text.

Because reading is so important to success in school, parents can and should play a role in helping their children to become interested in reading and in encouraging their growth in reading skills. At the same time, parents and teachers need to work together. Many teachers are now sending home practical ideas for parents to use with their preschoolers. As a result, young children are developing some of the skills at home that will later help them in school.

 

What Can Parents Do To Help Their Preschoolers In The Learning-To-Read Process?

Research shows that children learn about reading before they enter school. In fact, they learn in the best manner--through observation. Young children, for example, see people around them reading newspapers, books, maps, and signs. Parents can do a lot to foster an understanding of print by talking with their preschoolers about signs in their environment and by letting their children know they enjoy reading themselves.

 

As I Read To My Preschooler, What Should I Do Specifically?

Many parents recognize the value and enjoyment of reading to their young children, but perhaps they are not clear about the specific skills that could be enhanced through the process. Most important, reading should be an enjoyable experience. Research reveals that when young children experience warm and close contacts with their parents when they are being read to, they develop more positive attitudes toward reading.

Run your index finger under the line of print. This procedure is simple and helps children begin to notice words and that words have meaning. They also gain an awareness of the conventions of reading (e.g., one reads from left to right and from the top of the page to the bottom; sentences are made up of words; and some sentences extend beyond a single line of print).

One of the greatest advantages of reading to preschoolers (or children of any age) is the opportunity for vocabulary development. Children learn the meaning of words through good literature; words take on rich meaning when used in an interesting story.

 

What Can I Do For My School-Age Child Who Doesn't Like To Read?

In the early elementary years, from first through third grades, children continue learning HOW to read. It is a complex process, difficult for some and easy for others. Care must be taken during these early years not to overemphasize the learning-to-read process. Reading for pleasure and information develops reading interests and offers children the opportunity to practice their reading skills in meaningful ways. Parents of elementary-age children should provide reading materials in the home that arouse curiosity or extend their child's natural interest in the world around them.

By encouraging and modeling leisure-time reading in the home, parents take the most important step in fostering their child's reading development.

 

How Can Reading Research Information Be Useful To Me, As A Parent?

Current research in reading reveals three important considerations for parents AND teachers:

·         Children who read, and read widely, become better readers.

·         Reading and writing are complementary skills.

·         Parents are important to children both as role models and as supporters of their efforts.

 

What Does Research Say About Ways Parents Can Help Their Children With Reading?

The following suggestions have been beneficial to many parents:

·         Provide a good role model--read yourself and read often to your child.

·         Provide varied reading material--some for reading enjoyment and some with information about hobbies and interests.

·         Encourage activities that require reading--for example, cooking (reading a recipe), constructing a kite (reading directions), or identifying an interesting bird's nest or a shell collected at the beach (using a reference book).

·         Establish a reading time, even if it is only 10 minutes a day.

·         Write notes to your school-age child; encourage written responses.

·         Ask your child to bring a library book home to read to a younger sibling.

·         Establish one evening a week for reading (instead of television viewing).

·         Encourage your child in all reading efforts.

 Adapted from :

http://www.ehow.com/how_2204236_build-childs-interest-reading.html

http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/improve.reading.html