Angel L. Avery-Wright
How often do you require children to ‘get a book and read’? Do you notice that children avoid the book area in your room? Do the children choose books during free play? Do they have favorite books?
Forcing children to use books when they aren’t interested can be discouraging for children and may even destroy their love of reading. It can reduce engagement, especially if they do not get to choose their own books. Children may feel that reading is a duty, not something to do for pleasure or because they can learn from a book. Children may also feel that they are being judged by what they choose to read.
What can you do to make reading engaging for children?
Make it fun. Try reading rhymes and poetry. Read books that are factual and those that are silly. Ask questions about the books and share positive opinions.
Respect children’s choices. Maybe Tommy really likes the book about snakes so he will choose it regularly. He might even get upset if another child gets to that book first. So, think about having a variety of books on the same subject or by the same author. If a child likes to read Halloween books year-round, don’t put them all away after October 31st.
Help children find a genre they like. Maybe a child likes books about cooking, or dinosaurs, or trains. Introduce a variety of genres to help children discover their likes and dislikes and then encourage those likes.
Think about your own experiences with books and reading. Do you remember being forced to read aloud in front of peers? Do you remember learning about faraway places that excited your imagination? Do you remember your favorite book from childhood? My favorite book was “One kitten is not many”. I loved it so much I purchased a copy last year so I could have it handy.
What book will your children remember?