| As a parent, you have a profound influence on | | | | and non-fiction picture books are great because |
| your child's reading skills. Even though your child | | | | boys are visual learners. Classic novels are also |
| probably reads daily at school, the extra practice | | | | excellent choices because they offer your child a |
| he or she will get at home will be quite beneficial. | | | | fantastic storyline and vocabulary rich text to help |
| Here are some of my favorite ways to help | | | | improve your child's reading. |
| motivate your child to read and to encourage | | | | Habits Can Be Good |
| your child to read more often. | | | | Make reading habitual. That is, create a designated |
| Do As I Do | | | | time each day for your child to read. Once your |
| 'Do as I do, not as I say' couldn't be any more | | | | child gets comfortable with this time, he or she |
| applicable in this situation. You can try to tell your | | | | will read more often because of the security that |
| child to read and read more often, but, if he or | | | | this consistent activity has to offer. |
| she isn't interested, you've wasted your breath. | | | | Practice Reading Strategies for Confidence |
| Instead, try to be a good role model for your | | | | Find out what reading strategy your child is |
| child. Rather than reading the paper when your | | | | learning in class. For example, your child may be |
| child is in another room doing something else, start | | | | learning how to make inferences, visualize, find |
| reading when your child is present. If there's | | | | the cause and effect, or making connections. |
| nothing on the television, pick up a book. Most | | | | Then, try to help your child work on these |
| likely, your child looks up to you and, in many | | | | strategies at home. This will boost your child's |
| ways, wants to be like you. Why not show your | | | | confidence in reading because he or she will have |
| child that you are a reader? | | | | improved his or her reading comprehension skills |
| 'Litter Your House with Reading Material' | | | | with you at home. |
| I use the word 'litter' in the most positive way. If | | | | Special Outings |
| possible, try to keep all kinds of reading materials | | | | Make attempts to take your child to the library |
| in different places around the house. For example, | | | | and/or bookstore every now and then. Make the |
| you can keep magazines in the bathroom, graphic | | | | outing a special time (e.g. your child can have a |
| novels in the playroom, chapter books in the living | | | | special snack, you can buy a book, your child can |
| room, and non-fiction picture books in the den. By | | | | bring a friend). By doing so, your child will create |
| exposing your child to literature on a constant | | | | an association between something fun and reading |
| basis, your child will be more likely to read it if it's | | | | books (not that books aren't fun in their own |
| there. | | | | right!). |
| Read Good Stuff | | | | Clearly you have a profound impact on your |
| If it is difficult to get your child to read, you | | | | child's reading comprehension skills at home. |
| better make sure that when he or she reads, the | | | | Ultimately, you know your child best. Find out |
| book better be good. I suggest that for boys, | | | | what motivates your child and use it to improve |
| graphic novels, non-fiction picture books, and | | | | your child's reading. |
| classic novels are the best choices. Graphic novels | | | | |