Hooking Children on Reading
Question: My children who are currently in 2nd and 4th grades are just barely reading on grade level. What can I do this summer to help them to up their reading level and get them hooked on books? – Need a Plan
Answer: Most unmotivated readers don’t associate reading with the word “fun.” They limit their reading to school assignments. Start off by reading to your children every day. Select reading material that will make them laugh. Poems written by Shel Silverstein and Bruce Lansky will tickle their funny bones. You will be able to get other suggestions from your local librarian or the library’s web page.
Begin by having them read material that is fun and that caters to their interests. If you can find books that are slightly below their reading level, they will feel more confident of their reading ability and likely to read more. Plus, the more they read, the more their reading will improve.
You can further build your children’s excitement about reading by helping them become active readers. We do not mean that they are to run around the room as they read. No, they are to become interactive with the printed page. You can help them learn how to do this by asking them questions about what they think will be happening next in a story when you read to them.
Select from the activities below to help your children to become even more excited about reading:
- Have great reading materials spread throughout your home from magazines to vacation brochures.
- Be sure each child has his or her personal collection of fiction and non-fiction books.
- Start an online book club or a neighborhood one if social distancing has been lifted.
- Have your children take part in the summer reading program at your library.
- Give them a magazine subscription.
- Let them stay up an extra 15 minutes to read in bed.
Keeping School Skills Sharp
Question: How can I keep learning alive for two fairly good students in the summer? I don’t want them to lose basic skills. – Building Skills
Answer: Most parents realize that the secret to continued academic success for their children is to keep them reading during the summer. If you are running short of ideas, go online to readwritethink.org and search for summer reading. Here you’ll find activities to help children from ages 4 to 18 explore reading and writing all summer long.
And don’t forget to bolster your children’s math skills. Most lose more ground in math than reading. Try to play games with them that require math. For lots of fun with math, have them work with “Learning Activities -Math” on our website at dearteacher.com.