How to Get Your Child Reading
Ten Top Tips to Motivate Your Child to Read
- 1 Make time for reading – reading should be an enjoyable experience, not a rushed and hurried one
- 2 Set aside a regular time to read with your child
- 3 Choose interesting material but ensure it is not above the reading ability of your child
- 4 Try creating a comfortable, dedicated reading area
- 5 Offer your child a wide variety of reading material (joke books, non-fiction, comics, magazines, graphic novels – the list is endless …)
- 6 Buddy read with your child
- 7 Don’t under estimate the value of a good picture book – especially for struggling or reluctant readers
- 8 Kids love a funny book!
- 9 Show your child that you love reading too!
- 10 Provide access to a wide range of books (create a home library; use a public library; with a Kindle you can download a wide variety of free books and all ebooks are cheaper to buy than hard copy)
Ten Top Tips to Keep Your Child Reading
- 1 Create a reading area
- 2 Encourage reading at home and everywhere else (practice reading menus, instructions, information boards, film and TV credits … show them reading is everywhere)
- 3 Act as a role model and let your child see you read
- 4 Make connections between reading and real life
- 5 Keep reading materials in the house and make them easily accessible
- 6 Visit your local library – make this a regular trip
- 7 Talk to your child about what they are reading – show an interest
- 8 Exposure your child to different book genres – if they always read fantasy novels give them a science fiction or adventure story to read.
- 9 Support your child- help them when they are struggling and talk to their English teacher if you feel your child needs more help
- 10 ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO FIND THE TIME TO READ EVERY DAY. Try setting a specific time of the day aside to read. This could be a time where your child reads alone, to you or with you. Make reading a family activity.
For further information please read the following online articles:
Oxford Learning: How to improve reading comprehension for kids: https://www.oxfordlearning.com/how-to-improve-reading-comprehension/
Oxford Owl: Helping struggling readers: https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/reading/what-to-do-if-you-think-your-child-is-a-struggling-reader/
The Understood Team: How to help your child with reading at home: https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/learning-at-home/encouraging-reading-writing/how-to-help-your-child-with-reading