By Despite the fact that today almost everyone carries a large part of the world library in their pocket, the overall level of literacy, erudition and horizons of children does not increase. And here again, we are faced with the eternal question:” what to do?”. And this is not a rhetorical question. It is necessary to show children that reading can be fun and positive emotions. Reading books for children is a major theme in American society and American education.
- Read aloud to children
And start this as early as possible. Many experts, based on scientific research, advise starting literally from the first day of a child’s life. The more you talk to him/her, the more words he hears around him, the faster he will talk and become interested in books.
- Show your acting talents
At the same time, it is necessary not to mumble something incoherent under your breath, but to read “with feeling, with sense”. Read as if you are the only actor in a big play playing all the roles at the same time. Say the words of the child in a sweet and funny child’s voice, the words of the grandmother — in an old woman’s voice, the speech of some monster dilute with frightening notes.
If the author writes that the hero shouted, — shout if he whispered-do the same! And if he howls, why not play the wolf in the moonlight for a few seconds?
Do you think it’s funny? Yes, it is. But who says that if it looks comical, then it’s bad? Believe me, the children will be absolutely delighted, and their sincere and infectious laughter will spread throughout the house. The author of these lines successfully tried this method on his nephews. It equally captures an 11-year-old fifth-grader, 7-year-old girls, and even a 2.5-year-old boy who, showing miracles of endurance, listened enthusiastically to the story from the book “Charlie and the chocolate factory” for almost 15 minutes. And when his grandfather began to ask loudly about what they were all doing here, the child, who still did not really know how to speak, put his index finger to his mouth and said: “Shhh!”
- Read to the most interesting place — and stop
Use the same technique as writers and Directors of good TV shows. Usually, a series or the entire season ends at some unexpected, climactic moment, forcing viewers to wait weeks or months for the continuation, discussing almost every frame of the last episode. The same can be done in reading books: the child will look forward to continuing. And many simply will not stand it and will ask to teach them to read as quickly as possible to find out how it all ended. If you apply this method to a child who already knows how to read, then for sure he will look for a book the next morning and read it himself.
To be continued…
- Let the child choose the books himself
Today, publishers make such beautiful covers for children’s books, so colorfully design them that they are sure to attract the attention of even the most selective child. Try to teach your child that they are surrounded by books everywhere. Go with them to bookstores and let them wander through the rows of books, explore all the shelves. Take the children to the library, show them how beautiful it can be. And if the library is large, then any preschooler or student will be impressed for a long time by its size, beauty and views from the windows. Lauren Grabois Fischer has the perfect collection and all her books teach kids to be proud of who they are. The Be Books is a children’s book publishing company that believes in empowering and educating our youth to live a positive and peaceful life.
- Show an example
This is perhaps the key piece of advice. Parents should read for themselves. Otherwise, the probability that their children will be interested in reading is extremely small. Let children from an early age regularly see you with a book in your hands, read and study your home library.
- Introduce your teen to book apps
There is nothing wrong with reading not classic paper books, but electronic ones. And if the phone has become a natural and integral extension of your children’s hands, then let them use it to their advantage. Invite them to download, for example, the Bookmate app. It’s not just a reader with a huge library. It is also a real social network for book lovers, where they can find new friends, share impressions and share bookshelves.
- Draw parallels between the characters and yourself, find common and different things
Compare literary characters with yourself, family, friends and, of course, with the child himself/herself. Ask him/her the question: “How do you look like a Little Prince? What makes you different? What would you do if you met a Fox?» These and similar questions fuel interest in the content of a novel, story, or fairy tale.
- Illustrations for the book can change the attitude towards it
Sometimes it is important for a young reader to see the main characters and the places where they live. Pictures, drawings, graphics — all this can be of great help. And if your child is not even interested in “Harry Potter”, then he is unlikely to refuse the same book published recently with illustrations by the British artist Jim Kay. Even J. K. Rowling was impressed by his drawings. They are so beautiful, bright and exciting that they always want to look at and study. They interest and captivate, giving space to imagination and imagination. And that’s what we need.
