Jan 26, 2015 by Yolanda Fontanez-Coleman | Learning Resources, Reading
How Do I Get My Child To Read MORE? This is a question that I have asked myself as parent but a concern that I have encountered while speaking with parents. We know that the more you read the more you will raise your reading levels, improve comprehension, increase oral reading fluency. The benefits are great. We all want our children to succeed and most importantly we want our children to foster the love of reading. But what happens when they DON’T LIKE TO READ or say ” I HATE TO READ!”
Here are some things to consider. These may NOT all apply to your child but hopefully one tip will help your child.
Does Your Child Struggle With Reading?
Often times when children find reading “boring” or do not like to read they may actually have some underlining reading issues. Chat with your child’s teacher to find if your child has some reading weaknesses. If they do have some reading challenges pinpoint the exact issue: decoding, oral reading fluency, comprehension, reading rate. Remediating the issue will really help your child. Put strategies in place to help your child overcome this reading challenge.
Is Your Child Reading Rooks On His Level?
Many times children will read books that are not on their reading levels. They then become frustrated and will “find the book boring” or just lose interest in the book. Take the “5 Finger Rule” to determine if your child is reading the “right” book. Reading leveled books will develop confidence and foster the love of reading.
Is He Reading books Of Interest?
This may seem simple however it is super important that your child is reading books that interest him. Allow him to pick books that they are passionate about. Perhaps books about sports, comic books or graphic fiction. Find books that make your child excited about reading. Selecting books of interest will go a long way!
Does It Always Have To Be Book?
There are many ways to get your child reading more and it does not even include picking up a book. That sounds weird doesn’t it? Reading is reading. Introduce your child to a magazine! There are many great child friendly magazine subscriptions that can match any child’s interest: Sports Illustrated for Kids, National Geographic for Kids, Discovery Girls, Odyssey, Ask. There are many cool magazines for kids that can certainly spark their love of reading.
I hope these tips or suggestions will help your child find the joy and excitement in reading. Share your concerns or tips with us! We would love to hear from you! Happy Reading!