Who Wants to be a Reader
by Karlie Margaret Houser
Reading is said to be the most important and most used academic skill taught. It entails actual deciphering of words, vocabulary skills and comprehension. It is so significant that at least a quarter of college entrance exams require reading comprehension and vocabulary skills. This means that reading isn’t purely an ability to ’sound out’ words- but also to comprehend their essential meaning. It is imperative that the reader can understand the author’s intention, purpose and bias, while gathering information, drawing conclusions and retaining the key ideas of the material. It is also important that you make sure reading is a part of your everyday life, outside of your home school program.
How can you convince your child of the joys and rewards of reading and keep them interested with it in this world of immediate gratification? There are ways…..
The more often you compel them to read, the deeper they will understand the importance of it. They will regard reading as a very important activity if you do it as often as three times a week. It is important that you do it together. Read stories, poems, and short novels with themes ranging from not-too-scary mysteries, biographies, adventure stories and parables. Make it a point to read materials that will impart lessons about the love of God, and the bravery of His followers.
Let your child read to you. Make sure interesting literature and other forms of educational and interesting reading materials are readily available in your home. If your child is a reluctant reader, have him/her read humorous books or magazines with brief entries, so as not to overwhelm him/her with the length. You can consult your local librarian about which books are appropriate for your child. It will be totally rewarding just to hear the voice of your child excitedly asking you to listen to just one more passage from his book.
Take advantage of every situation where you can review the alphabet to them. Be playful. Compose happy songs using the alphabet as lyrics. Write it in the sand on a trip to the beach or in the car windows. Make sure that they form a mastery of the alphabet. This will be a great start to get them into reading and you will be glad that you can monitor your child’s reading activities through your home schooling program.
Take your child to the local library or a bookstore that sells old books. See what type of literature it is that your child is interested in. Spend some time at the magazine section of a bookstore, but be careful not to let them get a hold of sleazy tabloids. Let them use the Internet to look for available books online. Encourage them to buy their own books and build a mini-library of their own.
Word games such as Boggle, Scrabble and Bible Trivia will help them develop their spelling and comprehension skills. If you have time, take your child to field trips to make them aware of the vast collection of books and reading materials that are waiting for them to discover. Lastly, and the most important of all, children learn best by example. Let your child see you reading, just because you enjoy it!
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