Mark Reyman, Middle School Literature Teacher
5 Tips to Foster a Love of Reading
As a literature teacher for over 15 years, I have a passion for reading. However, I know that not every child feels the same way. For students with a reading challenge, like dyslexia, reading may feel like a laborious task with which they’ve never felt success, and it’s certainly difficult to love a task that presents challenges. And what about students whose passions lie elsewhere – maybe in math or engineering? Their interests might be in building and not with reading for pleasure. No matter where a hesitancy for reading stems from, I strongly believe that working to instill a love of reading in children is crucial for teachers and parents.
In addition to reading to your child, here are 5 tips for fostering a love of reading at home:
- Model Reading
Parents are their child’s first teacher, and research shows that children who see their parents engaging in reading are more likely to pick up a book themselves. I believe strongly that modeling reading, though, is more than just having your child see you reading. It’s about engaging in active reading strategies and demonstrating how you make meaning of text. Talk about what you’re reading and how you use context clues and make inferences, and what you like and don’t like about what you read. - Provide Variety
Go beyond just the “classics.” The more types of reading materials a child can see at home, the better. Think magazines, newspapers, grocery lists, scrapbooking, comic books, graphic novels, e-books, and more! - Identify the “Right” Level
I believe it’s important to allow children to self-select books that are based on their interests, but sometimes that means the book will be one they cannot read independently. It’s important to strike that balance so there are times a parent is supporting the reading process, but at other times a child is reading on their own. When looking for a book at a library or bookstore, I always encourage parents to have their child randomly flip to a page and try to read a paragraph to see if it passes the “Goldilocks test”: too hard and don’t recognize a lot of the words? Too easy or, just right? This is trial and error and takes time, so be patient and supportive. - Foster Interest-Based Reading
While reading for academic purposes is important, to truly foster a love of reading, children have to be given freedom of choice in picking reading materials that excite them. This means the comic books on superheroes that seem juvenile to a parent are completely OK! Avoid forcing children to read the books that you want them to read. - Make Use of Audiobooks
They really are a great option, and it’s certainly been debunked that it’s not really a form of reading. Many of us consume stories that way, and your brain works just as much listening to a book as it does reading text. We encourage students to read along with the text as they listen, but for some that might not work. Not every strategy or method will work with every individual, so it’s important to be flexible to diverse ways of reading and accessing information.
For students with reading challenges, or even just a general dislike of reading, school can be a daunting place. There is truly something special when a student is truly seen for who they are and teachers are able to step outside the standardized and prescribed curriculum. At McLean School, we understand how students learn to read and how to help them be successful. To learn more about McLean, contact us today.