Four Ways to Foster Interest in Reading
What do I do when my kid just doesn’t like to read? This is a question that gets asked of educators often and, to be honest, a question that educators ask themselves! Here are a few suggestions to help foster a love of reading.
1. Read Yourself
Children mimic what they see from the very beginning of their lives and this continues through school. If your child sees you taking time to read, perhaps instead of turning on the TV or scrolling through your phone, they will see that and want to emulate it. Better yet, create a routine in which everyone in the family carries a book with them everywhere. The doctor’s office waiting room, the backseat on a long trip, or even in the grocery cart at the grocery store are all great opportunities to get into a book.
2. Read With Them
Many people know that this is a good idea to read to your child before they can read themselves, but continuing to read aloud even after a child can read on their own is beneficial as well. Not only does this model what a fluent reader sounds like but it can allow your child to read books of interest that may be beyond their reading level as well as create conversations around books and stories. Reading to your child has many other benefits, too, including larger vocabularies, advanced comprehension skills, and cognitive development.
3. Go to the Library
Set aside time (once a week or twice a month) to take a trip to the library. Prioritizing book selection and time spent around books is important. It also gives your child a variety of books to choose from.
4. Choice
Independent choice is important. It’s okay if they choose to read graphic novels, it’s okay if they choose to read all the books in a series over and over, it’s okay. If a child is allowed to read what they want, they will be more likely to be invested.
If you have done all of these things and your child is still resistant to reading, it may be time to see if something else is keeping them from literary success. A consultation or dyslexia screening may give you the answers you need.
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