Developing Good Reading Habits for the New School Year

By John-Morgan (from Flickr.com)

“The greatest gift is the passion for reading.
It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites,
it gives you knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind.
It is a moral illumination.” — Elizabeth Hardwick

What are some easy things you can do in your home to help your children develop good reading habits, regardless of their age? Here are some things that will help your children become better students and stronger, and more competent readers. These habits will also help your children develop a more positive attitude towards reading at home and at school.

Here are some simple suggestions you can use to help your child develop reading skills:

• Make sure that your children observe you reading on a regular basis. What you read is not important — when your child sees you reading recipes, magazines, newspapers, books, telephone directories, and other reading materials, it will reinforce the importance of reading.
• Take the opportunity to read to your children often. This not only develops great child/parent bonding time, but also develops solid reading habits for you and your children. There are SO many wonderful books that are out there now. picture books and chapter books.
• Make yourself/child comfortable :Reading improves concentration. Also, concentration is needed while reading. So whenever we are reading any books we should make ourselves comfortable in a chair or on our bed so that we can concentrate on the book we are reading.
• To stimulate reading, keep reading materials throughout the house. This will increase your child’s access to books and printed material. Help them understand that reading doesn’t only happen at school — it can happen anywhere. Studies suggest that learners who read outside of school are more successful readers and students.
• If you are not a good reader,talk about the pictures in books, magazines, and newspapers with your child. It is important for your child to observe your efforts in acquiring reading abilities. In addition, ask them to read aloud to you or to tell you about what they have read in their own words.
• Visit your public library often, and take advantage of the resources that are available there. Make this a fun weekly activity.
• Make it a rule that your  children can’t watch television until they have done their daily reading. No exceptions!
• As your child becomes a better reader, talk about what he/she is reading. When your child finishes a new story or reading assignment, discuss the main ideas, new words and concepts, and your child’s favorite section. This will help strengthen your child’s reading comprehension skills. Have them also write down their favorite parts of the story. This will also encourage good writing skills.
• Set a goal as a family to read so many books in a month or a year; say five a month or 50 in a year. This will bring some excitement as you work together towards your goal.
• Let your child know, that to be a good reader, you must read EVERY day! Reading just one or two days for a long time, does not develop good reading habits. Again, show your child that reading is important to you by reading daily.

By taking these steps in your home, you will not only encourage your children to read — you will help them succeed in the classroom and beyond!