I Want to Read

 

I Want to Read

On my first day of first grade, I was ready to read. My parents and grandparents read to me regularly but I wanted to read by myself. As soon as I learned, I taught my younger brother who was just as eager. Why should he wait for first grade? We wanted to read — NOW! 

To become a good reader, readers need phonemic awareness (distinguishing individual sounds), decoding skills (connecting sounds to letters and patterns of letters), fluency (reading easily, smoothly, and with expression), a large vocabulary (word meanings and usage), and comprehension (understanding text and making connections). To become a great reader, children must want to read. 

Motivation is a vital part of reading success. Learning to read is a complicated process. Children who want to read will read more. Children who read more will have greater success in all areas of learning. How can parents help their children want to read? Model, share, provide, and encourage.

1. Model: Children want to be just like mom or dad. They watch their parents carefully for action cues. Children who see parents reading will want to read. Remember D.E.A.R. — Drop Everything and Read. Create sacred reading time and spaces. Furnish your house with bookcases full of your favorite books. Read out loud. Read silently. Read in private and in public. Read signs, instructions, and plaques. Tell your children what you learn from reading. Show your children how reading enriches your life.
2. Share: Make time every day to read to your children. Always carry a few books with you. Waiting is less stressful when reading a good book. Treasure your library card and use it often. Make an event of getting Junior one too. Create a family or neighborhood book club. Take turns reading aloud to neighborhood kids. 
3. Provide: Make sure your child, and every other child you know, has access to great books. Provide books at your child’s reading level and in their areas of interest regardless of reading level. Children who love robots, space travel or walruses want to read about them. Owning books is even better than getting them out of the library. Buy the books your children especially love. Library and yard sales are great places to fill your bookcases. When books are outgrown, pass them along to younger friends and family. Donate books to needy children. Reading requires time. Carve time out of busy schedules for reading. 
4. Encourage: Never force your child to read. Encourage children to read by sharing your love of reading. Show them how much reading enriches your life. Make weekly trips to the library. Applaud beginning efforts. If your child struggles with text, help with decoding or read it aloud yourself. Ask your child to repeat what you read and give high fives. Cuddle while sharing books. Make reading pleasurable and fun for both parent and child.

Help your children want to read — NOW!

(This is the final in a series about reading success by Lisa Marie Crane)