Reading is very important in a child’s academic career. Besides taking a reading course, reading is involved in other subject areas. Math involves reading word problems. Science and history both involve reading.
Most adults read on a daily basis. Our lives are full of books, magazines, paperwork to sign, and forms to complete. Fluent reading and comprehension can help your child become a very successful adult.
As a parent, there are things that you can do to encourage your child to read. The more a student reads, the more efficient he/she becomes at it.
Following some of the simple activities below can get your child on a good start to fluent reading skills.
Help your child choose reading material. Many students get caught up in reading only because they have to read for a class. By helping your child choose books on topics that he/she is interested in, you will teach your child that reading can be for pleasure and entertainment.
Make certain that your home has adequate amounts of reading materials. Your child should see reading materials throughout the house. Books are not the only form of reading material needed. Keep magazines, newspapers, and catalogs also.
Children learn more from observing than from listening. Telling your child how important it is to read is not enough. You must also let your know how important reading is by reading. Let your child see you read. Set aside a family reading time where every member in the family, including the parents, can read.
Introduce your child to the public library. Most students visit the library at school. However, children need to see that the general public in also involved into choosing books and reading. Periodically take your child to the library to look at and check out books. You can also use this time to introduce your child to different types of literature.