Written By Mohini Polluck
Dear Caregiver,
Here's exactly how I’ve transformed reluctant readers into motivated ones.
Before we get started, let’s talk about your child. They’re not in kindergarten anymore or first grade. They can read a book to you or to themselves. But, they don’t really want to. That's why you are ready to invest time in a transformation. You know that reading comprehension, speed and accuracy are skills that will help them learn and grow. Reading skills cultivate curiosity, empathy and growth.
Using this process I’ve nurtured a love for reading in children who are still in elementary school. I’ve also used these exact strategies to help teenagers begin to love reading.
What’s the first step? It’s time to find a book that your child is genuinely interested in. Today, you can browse for books in so many different places. Find out what public libraries are located near you and check online reviews to see which ones might have the best children’s collections. Go to the library together. If you’re not sure where to start, talk to the librarian. The key is to let your child pick a book they are excited about whether it’s a book inspired by the newest Pixar movie, or another book in the "Captain Underpants" series. Observe your child and follow their lead as they browse.
So, maybe you went to the library with your kid and the collection wasn’t great. Maybe the library is too far from your home, or you don’t have time to take your children there. Let’s try browsing in another way. Is there a bookstore nearby? Get on Yelp and find out which one has the best children’s collection! Book ownership, knowing that the book belongs to them, can motivate children to read. Just like you did at the library, give your child the space and time to find a book that interests them.
You made it to the library and the bookstore once. Your child is a little more excited about reading, but getting to the library more than once a month or every two months is hard. And, you don’t have the budget to keep buying new books for your child at the independent bookstore nearby. I don’t know about you, but more than half of the reading I do is on my iPad, laptop or phone. It is time to browse for books online! If your child is in elementary school, then I’d recommend you subscribe to Epic, a digital library for kids. Why? I’ve offered various different reading apps to kids and this is the one they actually want to use. Using this app, kids can read books, listen to books and watch educational videos. They can browse safely. If you're not ready to subscribe to Epic, you might want to browse for audiobooks with your kids on Audible. Or, now that you’ve got a library card you’ll also be able to use library apps like LibbyApp and HooplaDigital. Once again, browse for books with your child. Let them lead, but be there to provide support and guidance.
Sparks flew while you were browsing for books. While you were surprised by the books and audiobooks that your kid was interested in, you were also happy that they were excited to read! After a few weeks, you and your child lose steam. You’re back to your normal routines, and your child is still not excited about reading.
It is time to hold them and yourself accountable for reading the wonderful, interesting books that you’ve collected. How do you do that? There will be trial and error in this process. Here's where I always start. In my experience, kids love partner reading! I partner read “Macbeth” with a high school student. We took turns reading aloud. Reading together eased her stress. She didn’t feel alone while tackling a difficult text. It was a bonding experience, we got share our feelings about the play with each other. We celebrated together when we finished reading the play by watching a film adaptation! Commit to partner reading with your child for forty to sixty minutes a week. Commit to a specific day and time when you will do it. For example, "I’m going to partner read with my kid for ten minutes every day before they go to bed" or "I’m usually more free on Monday and Wednesday than other days...I’ll partner read with my child for twenty min each on those days."
Partner reading is not a prescription, it is a recommendation. Don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t read a full forty or sixty minutes one or two weeks because things got busy. Try out partner reading and see if it sticks.
At this point, you and your child are on a roll. You are partner reading often. You really, really want them to be reading independently. It's time to model the habit! Be real with me, how often do you read independently? Repeat the process of browsing for books at the library, bookstore and online. But this time, do it for yourself. Notice the types of books that spark your interest. Notice how much time you spend listening to books versus reading them. Notice how much time you spend reading on a device compared to reading a paperback or hardcover. Notice when you get bored with a book and decide to move on to another one. Try being as consistent with reading as you want your kid to be. This should help you empathize with your child and understand your child's process in browsing for books and developing their reading routine.
Now, that you’ve found a book that sparks your interest, create time and space for independent reading time. Make a snack or a cup of tea. Find a cozy spot where you and your child can read next to each other. Share what you’re reading about! Maybe you’re reading a news articles on your computer while they listen to an audiobook. Maybe you’re reading a novel while they read a picture book. Read what you want to read, and let them read what they want to read. Remember, this isn’t a space to judge each other. You might have days where you read on your phone and others where you’re lost in a novel. Your child will choose what they want to read or listen to based on how their day is going too. The goal is for your child to discover the joy of reading.
You and your child are deep into your reading journeys. Now, you read together and independently. It is time to share. Excitement is contagious, and sharing a text that you loved as a child with your child can inspire them to be excited about reading too! I love that Roald Dahl’s short stories are filled with distinct characters, humor and surprising plot twists. I’ve often done close readings of texts like “The Hitchhiker” and “Royal Jelly” with children. My enthusiasm makes it exciting for kids to read the text with me. Take a moment to think about books, magazines and articles you read as a kid that made an impact on you. Reading those texts with your child might create a moment to remember and motivate your child to read.
As you're on your journey of building better reading habits together, don’t forget to tell your child why you want them to read more. Personally, reading has expanded my mind. It has helped me learn about the world and molded me into a person who can build relationships with people who’ve had very different experiences from me. Reading is my window into other people's worlds. Beyond that, reading has allowed me to learn whatever I want to, whenever I want to using the articles and information available to me on the internet. Lastly, when I read about people whose experiences mirror mine, I gain confidence. Reading about their journeys has encourages me to grow and take risks. Tell your child about how reading has helped you.
I hope this journey is not only transformative for your child, but for you too. My relationship with reading has transformed many times over the last three decades! I continue working on my reading routine and working on new ways to nurture a love for reading among children. As I discover new books and new apps to introduce to children I always remind myself that we learn through relationships. Nothing will every motivate a child to read more than an attentive parent, teacher or caregiver. It is our job to encourage them to form their own unique taste in books, read with them and read next to them.
Good luck on your journey,
Mohini Srivastav Pollock
Literacy Specialist
Reading Is Elementary LLC