Getting Children Interested In Reading

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txgirl88
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Re: Getting Children Interested In Reading

Post by txgirl88 »

I am a 5th Grade Math Teacher...that reads to her kids! I read every Tuesday/Thursday for the first 10-15 minutes of class. I have a great appreciation for anything from WWII/Holocaust, so these are the books that I read to my kids. I teach them history by doing this, and an appreciation for living in the time period we do. I have had many parents through the years come to me and tell me THANK YOU for getting their children interested in reading. Every year I see my students latch onto the time period and devour all the books in our library based during that time. If we are aware of events that happened in history, then we are less like to have history repeat itself. So, not only do I teach math, I teach a love of reading as well.
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ALRyder
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Post by ALRyder »

txgirl88 wrote:I am a 5th Grade Math Teacher...that reads to her kids! I read every Tuesday/Thursday for the first 10-15 minutes of class. I have a great appreciation for anything from WWII/Holocaust, so these are the books that I read to my kids. I teach them history by doing this, and an appreciation for living in the time period we do. I have had many parents through the years come to me and tell me THANK YOU for getting their children interested in reading. Every year I see my students latch onto the time period and devour all the books in our library based during that time. If we are aware of events that happened in history, then we are less like to have history repeat itself. So, not only do I teach math, I teach a love of reading as well.
It is amazing, because the teachers that read to us are the ones I remember the most. My third grade teacher gave me a love of Shel Silverstein. My 5th grade teacher read a bit of everything! And I had a high school English and Spanish teacher who read The House on Mango Street in order to introduce us to that culture.

I think something else to be added is that a child is never too young or old to find a love for reading. I just had this discussion with my step mom, because her daughter has a 4 month old, and my step mom said that it was too early for books. I don't believe that at all. I've read to my daughter since she was conceived, and already, at two, she has such a love for books. I tell her we're going to get new books and it's just like getting a new toy.

On the comment I made about being too old, I know that my sister never really found a love of reading until high school. Now that she's an adult she is still not an avid reader, but is more open to an occasional book than she used to be. I had a teacher who once said that the only people who didn't like reading were those who just haven't found the right book yet.
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txgirl88
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Post by txgirl88 »

I applaud you ALRyder...it is never to young to introduce the love of reading to children!!!! They need to hear you and have it modeled to them to know what "good readers do." Keep up the good work!
michael_smith
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Post by michael_smith »

I think probably the best way to get children to read is to read to them when they are young, teach them early to read, and encourage them constantly to read. That's what my mother did for me. Also, turn off the dang TV!
daniellewood94
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Post by daniellewood94 »

My little boy is only 8 months old and he has a huge collection of books. We tend to sit together and I read him a book atleast twice a day. Its lovely as he seems so interested! I hope he grows up to love his books as much as his mummy
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Mommom6814
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Post by Mommom6814 »

Belonging to a family of 6 children we all grew up reading, all of us raised families of our own and while some of the children in our family reads, some do not. Speaking for my 2 i started with them when they were very young reading to them during the day and again at bed time and by the time they started school they were both avid readers. During the summer months we would visit the public library for reading time and they would both check out books. Now both of them are raising families and i have noticed that my daughters 4 girls are all readers, even her youngest who at 3, while not knowing the words will look at the pictures and make up her own story. My son's 2 daughters on the other hand, will read when forced, they do not have the passion for it.
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a_mon_avis
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Post by a_mon_avis »

I'm very excited about having children who love to read! I never thought about them not loving it, really. Maybe that's because I picked up my love of reading from my mom, so I think my child will do the same.
Uthar902
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Post by Uthar902 »

My mother engaged me a lot in reading. I read a lot of books aloud to her and had like that a shared experience with her. I think that just made me motivated to read now too
Yellowfaeries81
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Post by Yellowfaeries81 »

From a very young age, I made sure my daughter was surrounded by books just like me! Now she loves reading and reads books well above the level she should be at(though still appropriate for her age group). I think it's extremely important.
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violetpretty
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Post by violetpretty »

I've been reading to my three year old daughter since she was an infant. I also take her to the library weekly and she has started to learn to read small words. I hope that she enjoys reading as much as I do and it helps her excel when she starts school.
Symphy_
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Post by Symphy_ »

I became an avid reader later in life but since then, I have been working with all of my little cousins on reading. It really is important to read.
cgrice
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Post by cgrice »

This is a great article. I think it helps, too, if you read to your children early on. My daughter has been reading since she was three. She was interested in the books I was reading to her as early as about 18 months old. It has taken my son longer, he just turned four, and is just now getting to the point where he wants to look at the books and try to read a little on his own. As you mentioned, if they see their parents reading, they will see that it is important and enjoyable to their parents and will be more likely to follow along.
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BookieMonster
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Post by BookieMonster »

At first read the book to them so they get used to the process of converted words into an imagined image and creating a story in their heads by using words. Also, if you put on an interesting voice and pick an exciting story, they will be interested. Then, they will start to want to read books themselves.
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readerromance2003
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Post by readerromance2003 »

Thanks for the article. I really agree that children should watch less T.V, be online less, be engaged in the story or book that is being read and allowing the child to learn or explore the reading process as they like so to make learning fun.
Working in a daycare and with young children a few years ago I found that while the kids loved books and picked ones they liked by the front cover they had short tension spans and could not sit through the whole story. However, as stated in the above article not pushing them into sitting and listening is just as important as allowing them to pick the book or story they want to read. I also found that allowing them to tell me the story regardless if it is the actual story or not engaged their imaginations and need to want to explore books more. As time went on, the kids would then sit and ask me to read the story to them and be able to sit and be fully engaged.
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BrennySue
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Post by BrennySue »

My grandson is crazy about books. He is three years old and he actually screeches if you hand him a new book as a present. We put our heart and soul into reading books to him. If it's a goofy book, act goofy, if it's sad, act sad. He loves every minutes of it.
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