How to Encourage a Love of Reading
Reading can inspire people in different ways. Remember that if the goal is to raise life-long readers, you won’t get there by making your kids hate it.Try different approaches to see which ones might serve to ignite a love of stories. My kids were lovers of audio books, and I’ve since realized that I take in much more of a book, and remember it much better when I’ve heard it spoken. Now that they are grown, they are like me in that they may have a hard copy and an audio copy of the same book.
#1 Read Aloud to Your Kids
Reading aloud to our kids can help them develop language arts skills without them having to do any work. This is especially beneficial for young learners, but even some older ones too.
It’s amazing all of the benefits your kids will get from this one simple habit. Hearing books read aloud:
- Helps them learn grammar, good sentence structure, and vocabulary. Most of these skills are “caught” more than “taught” through the language of those around us. It’s a way to teach language arts naturally.
- Allows them to enjoy story. Because you can read books that are beyond a students reading level, an entire world through story is opened up for them. As people we seemed to be hard-wired to respond to story. Is it any surprise that we get to know God through His word?
- Helps them make the connection between the written and spoken word. By hearing books read aloud, our kids get to hear the way our voices rise with a question. They get to hear the forcefulness of a statement ending in an exclamation. They hear the written word and make connections between the two.
#2 Put Out a Buffet
There are a lot of choices on a buffet. You can find something for everyone there. With a variety of meats, vegetables, fruits, and desserts, as well as different types of food from Italian to Mexican cuisine, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for.
One way to encourage your children to read more is to have books scattered around your home. This way, they will be able to see the books and hopefully be inspired to pick one up and read it. It is important to have a variety of books, including picture books, graphic novels, fiction, and non-fiction, so that there is something for everyone. Do not require your children to read the books, but just make them available.
You should keep introducing new books and series to your kids, as you never know which one will interest them. Many kids discover a love of reading through Harry Potter, Percy Jackson or Katniss Everdeen.
#3 Do Something Different
Doing something different might just make your reluctant reader enjoy reading more. Try taking your kids to a local coffee shop and have each of them read while enjoying a drink. Another idea is to explore the library and find a comfortable area to read the books you’ve chosen. You could also try going on a picnic with your books. Another fun idea is to have family reading times when even mom stops cooking and cleaning to spend time doing something you love.
#4 See if There is an Issue
If your child is struggling with reading, they probably won’t enjoy it. If you’re concerned that there may be a problem, get help from a professional. You can start by taking your child to get their eyes checked. A processing disorder or learning disability just means that your child will need different strategies to help them learn.
#5 Don’t Give Up!
The following text is about how your child will grow and change and how you can encourage them to love reading. It is important to provide opportunities for your child to grow, and remember that you can’t control the results.
The seeds you sow today may not come to fruition for many years, but that doesn’t mean they won’t!
The Best Books to Read for Encouragement
The Confident Homeschooler by Pam Barnhill
Full of practical and simle ways to make homeschooling smoother. You can pick and choose what works for your family because it’s not a system where every piece has to be implemented in order to work. It’s a helpful book for veterans and newbies alike.
More Than Enough by Kara Stephenson Anderson
If you are a mother who is just beginning to homeschool your children and are feeling anxious about whether or not you can do it, this book will give you the assurance that you need that yes, you can do it. It also provides perspective on what we are really trying to accomplish when we homeschool. The book also discusses making choices that work for you and your family’s needs and interests and letting go of things that are not advantageous to you at the present time. If you need some encouragement, this is the book for you!
The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart
This book is written from a secular perspective and provides practical advice on how to create a love of learning in children through principles of delight-directed education.
The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie
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