Ways to Encourage Your Child to Read Independently
30-08-2015 | Posted By: Admin | 1338 View(s)
Reading habit is perhaps, one of the most endearing and fruit bearing habit that you can inculcate in your child. If reading is made a pleasurable activity, something to look forward to, then children will develop a positive attitude towards it.
Few Tips which can help you encourage your Child to Read
1. Converse with your infant before he learns to Read
Speak and involve your child in conversations, so that he or she can relate to certain things and communicate with you. You can talk about their daily routine, their peers, immediate environment, the places they go to, etc. This will get them interested, and they will try to pick up a book as soon as they learn to read and associate, just to satiate the curiosity.
2. Spend at least half an hour each day Reading with your Kid
The child not only develops an interest in reading through this, but he also gains knowledge about the conventions of reading (from left to right, top to bottom, etc.is able to) and gradually starts to identify various sounds and letters. Read loudly and by putting an index finger under the words. This will make him understand that each word has a meaning of its own.
3. Play Nursery Rhymes, Sing Songs which have repetitive Words
A child’s attention span is very less, so repetition makes it easier for him to pick up words faster. Once his interest is peaked, and he learns to read, he will himself try and find that word in a book.
4. Become a Role Model
Once the child can read on his own, do make them understand that reading is important and a lot of fun too by reading from maps, books, recipes, magazines, etc. Encourage reading as a free-time activity not only by telling them to do but doing the same yourself.
5. Work with your Child’s Teacher to improve the Reading Skills
Nowadays many teachers are sending home practical and interesting ideas to encourage a child to read, so take her into confidence. Ask the teacher about reinstating such practice skills, in this way you are making the child supplement what he has learned throughout the day at the school, playschool, daycare centre, etc.
6. Encourage Activities that Require Reading
Sometimes, a child may not have an interest in reading, do not make him do so by forceful means. Instead, find out his area of interest and motivate him to gather more information regarding the same via books. Cooking (reading for recipes), constructing a toy (reading for instructions), sketching or drawing (gaining information about the painters and artists by reading about them as reference) are some examples.
7. Restrict Television and Screen time in General
The less time a child spends watching television or sitting at the computer or iPad playing games or watching cartoons, the more they will feel inclined towards reading and related activities. So cut off the gadget time. Books can never be supplemented with gadgets.
8. Schedule a Reading time, even if it’s for 15 Minutes per Day
Arrange for a good reading light in your child’s room and stack books and magazines with lots of pictures and “things to do” activities inside them. Keep books at strategic places so that the child can pick it up and start reading whenever they feel like.
9. Incentive and Appreciate the Child if they read on their own
If your child tells you that he has finished a story or gathered some new information from the book on that day, always appreciate the efforts. Allow him to do something of his choice instead of giving him small incentives or gifts. Once the interest is formed, he will read on his own, to your unbridled delight.
10. Visit the local library once a week or 15 days at least
A library is a treasure trove of books, and if you can develop the habit of going to the library from an early age, the child will become a bookworm as he grows up. Make sure that the child has his library card, where he can check out books for school work as well as for pleasure reading.
So, start early. Make reading a part of your child’s daily routine. This is one of the best habits you can impart and pass on to the next generation.
