So you might have a child who is not interested in reading books and are wondering what you can do to engage them in literacy?
This is a great question.
My first question to you would be what sort of books are you reading with them ?
Picture books are a fantastic place to start any child who is not interested in reading. But make sure you involve your child in the process of choosing books. Find out what they interested in and seek out books on that topic. If your child would prefer non fiction books, by all means, go to that section of the library! Any reading is a step in the right direction!
it could be comic books, lego instructions – (now you may be thinking that there are no words here but literacy isn’t always about reading).
It is also about understanding diagrams, listening to instructions, retelling stories and following directions.., so also try recipes – Try anything and find out what your child loves doing and go from there.
How else can you engage your child in literacy?
- Just in conversation with your child anywhere you can ask them “I wonder what sound tree/car/football starts with? Ends with? This can be done with billboard signs, at the supermarket.
- Play a clapping game where they need to clap out the syllables in their name – this will help them later on with spelling and sound chunking.
- Write words outside with chalk, in the sand/dirt or mud!
- Create words with sticks.
- Ride over words – following the letter with a tyre of a bike or scooter.
- Play eye spy in the car using sounds and colours. This game is great as it isn’t just about sound/letter recognition it is also about listening to instructions. Make sure you don’t just focus on the name of the letter – focus on the sound. There are letters that make different sounds so make your child aware of that.
- Talk in rhyme and make up nonsense rhyming words and sentences such as “Would you like to play all day in the hay? Or what would you like to munch and crunch for your lunch?”
- Tell stories – make up imaginary lands and ask your child to join in with the storytelling process. This develops their talking and listening skills as does talking about what they did during the day.
- Encourage them to make their own book. Staple some scrap paper together and they can write or draw anything they wish and then tell it to you.
- Go on a scavenger hunt – ask your child to find things outside that start with a certain letter. They need to find and bring back (or tell you if it can’t be carried!)
So just remember that literacy isn’t just about reading books – it is about talking, listening and writing as well. Make literacy fun and your child will find the way that they enjoy it too.
