Many parents may at some stage find that your child is no longer engaged in reading. This can happen at any age and sometimes for no noticeable reason here are a few tips on how to promote positive attitude towards reading – both learning to read and reading for pleasure.
- Don’t pressure your child.
There may be some undue pressure placed on your child by parents, teachers and themselves to be the best reader in the class or achieve a certain level. Rather than just back off – use praise and encrouagement for what your child can do. Celebrate and reading strategy that they can use well and work from there. Praising the positive helps to improve the difficulties they are having.
2. Observe them reading
Rather than always jumping in when they have difficulty watch them work through the problem. Ask them what they are having difficulty with and then discuss that difficulty. Always giving your child the answer does not teach them anything.
3. Model reading
If your child is having difficulty reading, show them how it is done. Show them how you work out difficult words by sounding out, chunking sounds and using contextual clues.
4. Reward reading with more reading.
Don’t use bribes or rewards to get through the daily reading tasks. Rather than offer a sticker or food when certain activities have been done – offer time for a trip to the library with a parent or a trip to the book store to buy a new book of their choice. We need our children to see that learning to read leads into reading for pleasure.
Parents play an important role in encouraging a love of reading. Ensuring that you make learning to read and any time reading enjoyable is an important part of the role you play in helping your child to be the best reader they can be.
