Ways to Encourage Your Reluctant Reader

Your child can read! Yay! But…your child doesn’t want to read. Boo! Helping reluctant readers embrace the joy of settling into a good book can sometimes feel like a monumental task. If you are reading this because you want your child to develop a rich inner life that reading books can help develop, odds are good that you yourself are an avid reader and it baffles you as to why your child doesn’t want to read.

Let’s see if we can offer some ideas for you to try.

Reading is a great way to learn about the world and explore different perspectives. There are a variety of ways to get children to delight in reading, but the most important thing is that they find reading enjoyable.

There are many benefits of reading that go beyond just having fun. Reading can help with cognitive development, language acquisition, and literacy skills. It can also help improve memory and concentration. Reading encourages critical thinking skills, as well as creativity.

The best way to encourage children to read is by providing them with plenty of opportunities for reading in a variety of contexts

Such as:

• at home

• at school

• on the go

• giving them access to a wide range of books (print and audio)

• modeling good reading behavior

• encouraging them to read aloud or listen when others are doing so

• allowing them time for leisure activities such as looking at books with few or no words because for some children, the pressure to “read” can override the pleasure of looking at pictures and interacting with books.

Reading is a skill that is often taken for granted. For years it has been the foundation of education and learning. Some might argue, in order to learn, one must read. However, in this modern world, video is king, and one might now argue that a child could learn without ever touching a book or reading a word.

However, we understand that being a reader allows us access to the written word, some of which may not have been created as a visual. There is a very different experience between watching a story and reading a story. Who among us hasn’t lamented that, “The movie wasn’t as good as the book.”?

Reading is an important skill that allows children to learn, grow, and develop into a more creative and knowledgeable people. The ability to read opens a whole new world of information and information for people. Reading helps humans develop their vocabulary, writing skills, and their understanding of the world around them.

For kids who are reluctant readers, there are a few ways that adults can encourage them to start reading more:

• Choose books they would enjoy (yes, even comic books)

• Start with easy books (let them pick out the books they think look or sound interesting)

• Read aloud with them (try to do this every day)

• Make it fun (listen to audio books together or create stories together and write your own books)

Reading can be a difficult and daunting task for some children. It can be too long, too boring, or too complicated. Reading at a level that is too difficult will cause frustration and discourage readers from wanting to read more in the future. It is important to find books that are appropriate for the reader's reading level. Some children may prefer shorter books while others might like more complicated stories.

There are many different genres of books that would appeal to different types of readers such as science fiction, horror, fantasy, biographies, historical fiction, how-to books, and many more! Some children may feel discouraged by their reading level or genre preference so it's important to encourage your child to read any genre they like and allow them the freedom to explore new genres.

So, to recap, reading is a great way to improve vocabulary and grammar, as well as general knowledge. It is also a very enjoyable pastime. If you want to encourage reluctant readers to read more, try one of the following ideas:

• Help them find a book that interests them.

• Give them access to books that interest them in any format they prefer (e-books, audiobooks, or hard copies).

• Create an environment that encourages reading. This could include making time for reading every day or setting up an area with comfortable seating and lots of books.

• Help them find something they will enjoy reading by suggesting books of certain genres and age groups.

• Read with them if possible so that you can help guide their reading choices if needed.

If you have tried our recommendations and your child still isn’t interested in reading, give it time. The human brain is a complex machine that develops on its own schedule. Sometimes we just need to let the process happen. Then again, maybe your reluctant reader is a secret mathematician whose brain is quietly working on the mathematical answers to the universe.

Be content in knowing that your child has conquered the hardest step the process of learning to read. And that is a beautiful thing.