Mrs.Devi Venugopal

Dear readers, once again, I’m happy to discuss another passion of mine – reading. Reading is one skill that all of us must hone to succeed in whatever field we are in. The young ones must be ready to read and analyze and enjoy reading with online schooling, how parents and educators can nurture the passion for reading.

Few points to keep in mind while reading to you’re the young readers

  1. Sense of agency – read something the children choose.
  2. Reads accurately.
  3. Read something they comprehend
  4. Writes about something personally meaningful
  5. Talks with peers about their reading and writing
  6. Listens to an adult read aloud.

Kids need to talk about books; as parents, you can initiate the topic by keeping the books spread out. For example, make sure books are in the car, so kids can use their traffic to see the content and illustrations and subscribe to audiobooks. The child is frequently exposed to professional read aloud to fall in love with the book.

Teaching requires children to read with power, complex texts; when education and parenting are best, kids can develop a passion for reading.

How to reach the soft spot for reading?

When we checked with an adult who
reads for pleasure, there is a clear correlation between positive personal and social behavior. Adults who read for pleasure are more likely to engage as citizens. They are more likely to engage in cultural activities and events, most likely to exercise and play
sports.

Home can be the sweet spot where the child can sense reading as a pleasure. We need to develop the confidence in the children through following affirmations

  1. I am a strong reader.
  2. I can understand the book
  3. I can read smoothly with fluency, reading with expression, and engaging.
  4. I can read the words accurately and quickly.

Families can support the child by setting up as a role model.

  1. I have tastes and preferences.
  2. I have goals and plans
  3. I can respond to my reading and writing
  4. I have healthy habits and behaviors

As a parent or a caregiver, we can facilitate their reading before bed, in the car, having a book check, while a doctor’s visit. We should always carry a book of their favorite genre. Kids haven’t found their sweet spot of reading; we need to provide lots of opportunities and experiences. For example, I have two daughters at least twice a week; they discuss the book they are reading and analyze together. They both love the Avatar cartoon, so I gifted them Avatar books for Christmas, which they cherish and enjoy reading again and again.

Always provide a choice of self-driven reading than assignment driven task. I will be a role model for my kids by choosing a book for fun reading apart from my work-related reading. Some people discover their sweat spot for reading in adulthood.

Best ways to support your children

  1. Read Aloud to your children – every day, various genres, in a warm and conversational tone in your language of comfort – research has shown that these activities nurture long-term cognition development.
  2. Read in front of your children – model a reading life, talk about your reading, share experiences from the book, expose your child to digital reading like sharing an article from your mobile.
  3. Be your child’s reading buddy – Go to the library with your child, talk about
    books, characters, and the act of reading.
    Research on the child’s favorite
    author’s genres, topics of your child’s
    interest, show how you struggle to keep up with the reading despite all your schedule and share the tough times to keep on
    reading.
  4. Let Children choose – support their book choices, inquire without judgment, let them decide on a place, time, and text for their reading, let them be comfortable in their skin at home.
  5. Make time – anytime have time to discuss books, bring your book, have some consistency if possible.
  6. Have conversations about books, various language experiences, and share the book’s experiences and emotions.

Citation

 Kathy Collins workshop, an educator and author who works in schools worldwide, supports teachers in developing high-quality, effective literacy instruction in early childhood settings and elementary school grades. She is the author of Reading for Real: Teach Children to Read With Power, Intention, and Joy in K-3 Classrooms and Growing Readers: Units of Study in Primary Classrooms.

Kathy has worked closely with the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University, and she was a first-grade teacher in Brooklyn, New York. Kathy and her family live in Durham, New Hampshire.