By Sarah Borroum
You are probably the type of person who cannot avoid
reading something every day. A book, magazine, billboard, or even
the bottle of shampoo catches your eye, forcing you to give it a
few minutes of attention. There are books or magazines all over
your house; there might even be one or two in the bathroom. Though
you are given strange looks and rude comments for it, you still
read at the dinner table, even if you happen to be at a five-star
restaurant. You cannot help but read, so you want to pass this on
to children, grandchildren, or perhaps potential bibliophiles in
your neighborhood.
The good news is that it is easy to give this gift
to children. It requires time and effort, but there is plenty of
reading involved; the best news you have heard all day!
The best and most effective way to help children see that reading
is great is to do it with them. Whether or not they are able to
read, you should set a story hour. It can be bedtime, morning, or
afternoon. You can have it anywhere from the city park to your kitchen
table. Set aside this time every day for a story, usually of the
child’s choosing, and watch the imagination unlock itself.
 Part of this reading time can be used to make trips
to the library or bookstore. Letting children pick out their own
books or other reading materials – yes, even comic books –
will encourage them to be part of what the family is doing. If you
do not allow them to have a say in the reading material, it will
seem too much like just another assigned reading, much like the
ones at school. This is supposed to be fun for everybody, not a
chore.
Getting everybody to participate in reading time
can be a difficult task with the distractions of television, video
games and other entertainment. If this proves to be the case, start
a “family reading night.” Make sure that everything
else, from the stereo to the computer, is left alone for the hour
or so that you will read. Encourage your family to record their
favorite shows, or schedule a time when there’s nothing good
on TV anyway. This will encourage the family to focus on the story
instead of thinking of what could be happening on TV at that moment.
Remember: putting down other activities is not going
to help children appreciate reading. Instead of “Oh, video
games are stupid – you can play them any time!” talk
about how similar tonight’s story is to one of their favorite
games. “Hey, you like that pirate game, right? Here’s
a story about a kid who becomes a pirate for a week!” is virtually
guaranteed to attract their attention.
Tip: look at games, TV programs and Web sites that
your children like and try to find books with similar themes, stories
or interests. If your child is particularly fond of baseball, find
his or her favorite player’s autobiography or perhaps an interview
with him in a sports magazine. The reading material should vary
because not every child’s interests are the same. While one
child might adore video-game magazines, another will fall in love
with juvenile fiction. Try to match interests with materials; a
great way to make this work is to let the child pick what to read.
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There is no such thing as “starting too early.” Many
mothers-to-be read aloud to their children as early as the day they
discover the pregnancy! It might not seem like it is doing any good
for the unborn child, but it develops your habit: by the time the
child is born, you – and any other adult involved –
will be accustomed to reading aloud every day. This is one of the
best things that you can do for a child, so push aside any “Oh,
this is stupid!” thoughts and read on.
If there are several children involved, have them
take turns picking stories. Should you find that you have young
readers in your midst, give them the occasional, or even frequent,
chance to read out loud. Let them pick the books, and make sure
that you are an attentive listener. Some children might feel strange
or uncomfortable reading aloud, especially if they are not particularly
good at it: this is when your encouragement comes in. Do not allow
the other children to make fun of the reader; instead, remind them
that it will be their turn soon enough!  Ask a few questions about the story after you have finished. Many
children use their imaginations as you read, but having them think
things through helps engage the active parts of their brains. This
is not a college-English exercise, so do not ask deep questions
about the significance of the red shoes (unless, of course, there
is a very good and obvious reason for them to be red). Instead,
try to help the listeners jump into the story with questions like,
“How do you think you would have reacted if you had been in
that situation?” or “Do you think [name of character]
did the right thing?” Remember: there is no wrong answer to
these types of questions, so always encourage everyone to share
their own responses.
If the opportunity arises, take your child to a book signing or
other event with one of his or her favorite authors. Sometimes putting
your reader in touch with the person behind the pages is the perfect
way to ignite the imagination and make the stories even more exciting. Join an incentive program or start your own. Pro sports teams,
schools, and even restaurants sponsor these rewards-for-reading
events, offering everything from tickets and food to bicycles, books
and stereo systems. If you cannot find any of these programs in
your area, ask at your child’s school; someone there usually
knows what is happening. |
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These tips work for children who are already mildly interested in
reading, but you might encounter somebody who is staunchly opposed
to the written word. There is usually a very good reason for this;
it’s up to you to figure that out and, hopefully, solve the
problem.
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Some children simply do not like reading, as some do not like
doing math problems, finger painting or riding horses. If it is
honestly a matter of personal preference, have the child read aloud
occasionally to ensure that he or she is on an appropriate level.
You might never convince that child that books are cool, but you
will know that he or she is capable of reading and comprehending
when necessary.
If it seems like the child is trying but just cannot quite get
it, have him or her tested for learning disabilities. If this is
the case, there are alternate methods that can be used to help him
or her grasp the concepts and improve reading skills. Do not hesitate to give the child reading material that you might
otherwise consider “garbage.” Movie tie-ins, comic books,
music magazines and even joke books can be used to encourage reading.
It could be that the child has simply not found anything interesting
before. If this is the case, offering enticing materials will usually
help. It will improve the child’s reading skills and show
him or her that not all reading material is boring. Consult child-learning specialists or your child’s guidance
counselor if you are out of solutions. These professionals can either
offer advice or refer you to people who can help. If this happens,
you should have a serious discussion with your child about it to
let him or her know that it is not a bad or embarrassing thing.
It should not be something that you discuss at PTA meetings, but
you should ensure that your child knows it is okay to get help in
some areas of life. |
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No matter what happens, do not quit. Your child might not want to
read every spare minute of the day, but you will have confidence
in the knowledge that he or she is aware of the joy in it.
Article written by Sarah Borroum.
All opinions expressed are that of the writer.
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