How to make reading a part of everyday life
The students who are the most successful readers and learners see that modeled at home. Your child should read for at least 20 minutes each day to continue growing. You can help make this happen! Here's how:
- "If I want to read it, I will read it:" use Find a Book to discover interesting, targeted books together.
- Practice reading hygiene: turn off TVs, radios, iPods and computers.
- Or, read during the ads: mute the TV when advertisements come on and sprint-read until the show resumes.
- Don't wait to read until after tuck-in: children need to see their parents reading.
- All for one: make time for the whole family to sit down together to read, schedule a regular family library night, or have everyone in the house read the same book.
- Read aloud to each other.
- Subscribe to some periodicals: read a newspaper article in the morning and magazines in line at the grocery store.
Work reading into daily life
If a text is relevant to a child's life, he or she will want to read it. Each day offers opportunities to work reading into a child's life outside of the classroom. Here are a few ways to connect children with relevant reading experiences:
- Would you read that recipe to me while I cook, please?
- Look, here's a review in the newspaper of that movie you've been wanting to see.
- I don't agree with you about that issue. Find an article online to convince me.
- We have to go to Chicago for a wedding in a few months. Help me research some fun things to do while we're there.