Getting Children Interested In Reading

Use this forum for book and reading discussion that doesn't fall into another category. Talk about books, genres, reading issues, general literature, and any other topic of particular interest to readers. If you want to start a thread about a specific book or a specific series, please do that in the section below this one.
Post Reply
rishabhsachan
Posts: 84
Joined: 25 Jan 2013, 06:32
Bookshelf Size: 0

Re: Getting Children Interested In Reading

Post by rishabhsachan »

the people who know the benefits of reading books they are reading but most of the childern have not getting more interest in reading books
User avatar
CHRIS1380
Posts: 5
Joined: 12 Feb 2013, 21:13
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by CHRIS1380 »

I find the best way to get my child to read is to read with him - we have our own book club . We buy or borrow 2 copies of a book and we talk about the story over dinner or breakfast. The best part we take turns choosing the book so I get to learn more about his world, and he gets a chance to read some classics.
User avatar
mhjames
Posts: 29
Joined: 13 Feb 2013, 00:04
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by mhjames »

My little girl is only 18 months, so she doesn't read yet, but I have high hopes she will be an avid reader because she LOVES books more than most of her toys. She's always carrying books around and looking at them and pretending to read them. I think a big part of this is that I started reading to her when she was just a few days old. I never make it a frustrating experience. If she wants to turn the page after I've only read one or two words, or go backward, that's fine - we go at her pace. She's getting better at actually letting me read the whole story, and she asks for books all the time. Part of this, I'm sure, is just her personality, but I really think introducing her to books early and letting her set the pace has really helped.

-- 13 Feb 2013, 00:15 --
CHRIS1380 wrote:I find the best way to get my child to read is to read with him - we have our own book club . We buy or borrow 2 copies of a book and we talk about the story over dinner or breakfast. The best part we take turns choosing the book so I get to learn more about his world, and he gets a chance to read some classics.
I really like this idea of a "book club". I'll have to remember that when my daughter gets older.
User avatar
LeannMA
Posts: 5
Joined: 19 Feb 2013, 11:39
Favorite Author: Milton
Favorite Book: Snow Leopard of Shanghi
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-leannma.html
fav_author_id: 5073

Post by LeannMA »

I'm an elementary school teacher and I feel that getting children interested in reading is one way to ensure they will be good readers and comprehensive readers. In the article it was mentioned to not push children too far or too hard when getting them to read. I absolutely agree with this thinking. If a child is struggling to read he will not learn to enjoy reading, it will be more of a chore than a hobby or activity. It's also important to help the child find books that will interest him. Even if it is a kids sports magazine, the important thing is that the child is reading. Another thing to be mindful of is the difficulty of the book. If a child is reading a book that is took difficult he will get frustrated and not want to read. I will often start kids out reading books that are slightly below their reading level. It may sound counter productive, but if you start the child out on a lower level it can actually build their confidence in their reading ability. When they feel good about reading an easier book, they want to choose a new book to read. They need to slowly progress to higher level books.
User avatar
Fran
Posts: 28072
Joined: 10 Aug 2009, 12:46
Favorite Author: David Mitchell
Favorite Book: Anna Karenina
Currently Reading: Hide and Seek
Bookshelf Size: 1208
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-fran.html
Reading Device: B00I15SB16
fav_author_id: 3104

Post by Fran »

LeannMA wrote:I'm an elementary school teacher and I feel that getting children interested in reading is one way to ensure they will be good readers and comprehensive readers. In the article it was mentioned to not push children too far or too hard when getting them to read. I absolutely agree with this thinking. If a child is struggling to read he will not learn to enjoy reading, it will be more of a chore than a hobby or activity. It's also important to help the child find books that will interest him. Even if it is a kids sports magazine, the important thing is that the child is reading. Another thing to be mindful of is the difficulty of the book. If a child is reading a book that is took difficult he will get frustrated and not want to read. I will often start kids out reading books that are slightly below their reading level. It may sound counter productive, but if you start the child out on a lower level it can actually build their confidence in their reading ability. When they feel good about reading an easier book, they want to choose a new book to read. They need to slowly progress to higher level books.
I have many friends who are avid readers & I also have friends in the "I wouldn't read a book in a fit" catagory and, over coffee, we were discussing why some of us got into reading and some did not. We would all have attended broadly similar schools and come from broadly similar social backgrounds. I was amazed by the number who mentioned being turned off reading for life by a teacher who insisted they read aloud in class, in many cases standing at the front of their class. For some it seemed to have been the most traumatic experience of their school years
It struck me because I personally believe that reading out loud is by far and away the best way to improved your reading skill and speed and, as I've mentioned here on a few occasions, I regulary read out loud to my OH (and insist he provides feedback!) and indeed, I have been know to march around the kitchen reading aloud to nobody but myself! I'm sure my neighbours have serious concerns about me!
But as you are a teacher, I wondered about your opinion and if children are still required to read aloud in school.
We fade away, but vivid in our eyes
A world is born again that never dies.
- My Home by Clive James
rachel5
Posts: 251
Joined: 18 Feb 2013, 17:29
Favorite Author: C.S Lewis
Favorite Book: Narnia and Redwall
Currently Reading: Aesop
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by rachel5 »

I find the best way to get someone interested in something (in this case, were tasking about introducing kids to reading) is to expose it to them at an early age. Kids will soak up anything, and books are a great way for them to use their thinking skills, imagination skills, and every day life skills. Reading aloud to kids will make the reading experience all the more enjoyable and will encourage them to say the words out loud so they can learn to read full sentences, and then work their way up to paragraphs and chapter books. My mom, siblings, and grandparents read to me when I was little, and now that I'm 19 I learned so many great things about reading. I've passed the love of reading on to my cousins. I'm glad that they like to read too. It's a wonderful hobby.
A book is a movie that plays in your mind while you read the words in it
User avatar
Zepher07
Posts: 78
Joined: 23 Dec 2011, 01:28
Favorite Author: Arthur Conan Doyle
Favorite Book: Alices Adventures in Wonderland
Currently Reading: The Hound of the Baskervilles
Bookshelf Size: 0
fav_author_id: 2456

Post by Zepher07 »

So many replies talk about the terrors of tv. I agree that a lot of what is on now is junk, but tv and movies can be a great tool to get your kids interested in reading. What links the mediums is that they all tell stories. I grew up watching movies and tv shows, the good ones. When my dad was young, he connected with his father through movies and now I do the same with mine. We go beyond just watching it and discuss both the quality of the story and how it was made. You see, all tv shows and movies start with the written word. Show your kids this connection and it might help some of the more reluctant readers to pick up a book. I also think reading and writing go hand in hand so encourage your children to write as well. Fanfiction is really hot right now. For those who don't know what that is, it's a form of writing that take the characters and the setting from a tv show, movie, or even books and create stories that go beyond the original work. I've written some myself and have read tons. It's a good launching platform.

I also think that tv, movie, internet can all be useful tools if parents use them with their kids. I'm not talking about being overbearing, but actually spend time enjoying the medium together. I've always believed in leading by example and never instructing someone to do something if you won't do it yourself. Children will learn good tv watching, internet using and book reading habits from their parents. I know it can be hard but I think even just a little bit of time can go a long way.

Sadly I am not yet a parent, but I am training to be an English teacher so this is an insanely important topic. I love what you guys have said about having children read something they are interested in. I've always thougt that maked excellent sense.
User avatar
starlightsjewel
Posts: 6
Joined: 26 Feb 2013, 15:46
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 2
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-starlightsjewel.html

Post by starlightsjewel »

I started reading at four the Dick and Jane books and then would visit my grandmother for a few months and she had all the Louis L'amour books. Needless to say, I seem to have been caught up in science fiction and fantasy early on after that. My mother supported this as she loved science fiction.. In school I actually loved the classics we were "required" to read. I think every kid should be given a wide range to choose from and they may not read at the level you want them to but be supportive anyway. Even if its simple reading..
User avatar
Gannon
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 14464
Joined: 17 May 2009, 01:48
Favorite Author: Colleen McCullough
Favorite Book: Pillars of the Earth
Currently Reading: Heaven's Net is Wide.
Bookshelf Size: 52
fav_author_id: 2863

Post by Gannon »

With all the social media, facebook, twitter, video games, etc, etc. I think that it is the most important time now to get children into reading. Reading and comprehension skills have been taking a nosedive lately and I blame it on sms and twitter. It's like a whole other language, a compression of English. Children use these programs and apps so much that it becomes their normal way of communicating, and their writing and reading skills suffer greatly. I am not against social media and it has some very favourable pros but I would also love to see the next generation of children being taught proper English and studying the classics again, but hey that's just me. :D
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. - Mother Teresa
User avatar
Fran
Posts: 28072
Joined: 10 Aug 2009, 12:46
Favorite Author: David Mitchell
Favorite Book: Anna Karenina
Currently Reading: Hide and Seek
Bookshelf Size: 1208
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-fran.html
Reading Device: B00I15SB16
fav_author_id: 3104

Post by Fran »

Happy World Book Day to Everyone
http://www.worldbookday.com/
Here in Ireland booksellers are giving every primary school child a book voucher :lol:
We fade away, but vivid in our eyes
A world is born again that never dies.
- My Home by Clive James
User avatar
Gannon
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 14464
Joined: 17 May 2009, 01:48
Favorite Author: Colleen McCullough
Favorite Book: Pillars of the Earth
Currently Reading: Heaven's Net is Wide.
Bookshelf Size: 52
fav_author_id: 2863

Post by Gannon »

Fran wrote:Happy World Book Day to Everyone
http://www.worldbookday.com/
Here in Ireland booksellers are giving every primary school child a book voucher :lol:
What an awesome idea. :D
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. - Mother Teresa
User avatar
SandlingAllDay
Posts: 8
Joined: 09 Mar 2013, 21:55
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-sandlingallday.html

Post by SandlingAllDay »

Great suggestions!!! My son, thank goodness, loves to read!!
lovebooks10
Posts: 36
Joined: 13 Mar 2013, 10:45
Bookshelf Size: 24
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-lovebooks10.html
Latest Review: "Shades" by Rose Jones

Post by lovebooks10 »

I have been having a hard time keeping my ten year old interesting in reading..he's a great reader just would rather do other things. So frustrating!
Latest Review: "Shades" by Rose Jones
User avatar
Uklol2012
Posts: 5
Joined: 13 Mar 2013, 14:44
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by Uklol2012 »

Yes i agree, once a child reads something that interests them they'll be hooked, its down to the parents to engage their children into reading. Well said
r123
Posts: 36
Joined: 15 Mar 2013, 12:39
Bookshelf Size: 6
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-r123.html
Latest Review: "THE WOMAN" by Tommy Morgan

Post by r123 »

My daughter too was not a reader till she was introduced to Twilight. Before that I kinda forced her into reading Enid Blyton. I thought that since I had loved those books she should too. But it doesn't work that way I suppose. They have to discover what they love and once they find it there is not stopping them.
Latest Review: "THE WOMAN" by Tommy Morgan
Post Reply

Return to “General Book & Reading Discussion”