. Parenting Skills: How to Encourage Your
Struggling Reader Por Stacy DeBroff
www.momcentral.com
. When you have a reluctant or struggling reader on your hands,
it fills you with anxiety and concern about how best to intervene. .
Studies show that as students move through the grades, voluntary
reading decreases and negative attitudes toward reading rise. .
Often students' interest in reading begins to taper off around the
time they enter middle school. . Although your child may have loved
reading when he was younger, extracurricular activities and friends
often become more appealing than books. . Also, as the amount of
assigned work increases, he has less time to read for pleasure. . If
reading is a problem for your child, seek help-reading problems
rarely resolve themselves without extra attention to specific
skills.
Habilidades De Parenting
. Reading to younger children greatly improves their early
reading and writing skills. . The fact that only half of all parents
with children ages 3 to 5 read to them on a daily basis helps
explain why 40% of students enter kindergarten behind where they
should be.
. Although your child may have built a strong reading foundation
in his earlier years, a hiatus from reading can often prove
detrimental to his reading skills and overall academic development.
. All kids will go through stages during which they read a lot
and others in which they barely touch a book. . This happens
especially at periods of high stress or change, such as the
transition to high school. . Let your child move through these
phases naturally and without forcing him to read, but allow him to
read whatever he wants, including comics and books you think have
little redeeming value. . The most important thing is that he keeps
reading.
. If you spend a lot of time in the car with your child, pick
out a book-on-tape to listen to together as you drive. . When read
aloud, good literature can be a visceral experience.
. While busy kids may not have the time to read a lengthy novel,
a brief magazine article may be a more appealing length. .
Anthologies of short stories and poetry also offer quick reads.
. The end of first grade is a good checkpoint to assess your
child's reading capabilities. . If your child has difficulty with
reading and is lagging behind his peers, talk to the teacher to see
if he should go to a reading specialist for help and testing.
. Around third and fourth grade, reading becomes crucial for
success in most academic subjects because the emphasis shifts from
learning to read to reading to learn. . So, if your child has
difficulty reading or has low reading comprehension skills, his
overall academic achievement will decline. . Most importantly, find
something your child is interested in reading about and that will
help spark his passion for the world of books.
. Keeping the Sparked Reading Passion Alive
. Good readers only become so by hours spent reading. . From
comic books to Thoreau, it doesn't really matter what your child is
reading, as long as he sticks with it.
. Instill a passion for reading by making library trips a weekly
event about which your child can get excited. . To make the most out
of these visits, get your child his own library card. . Also, ask
the librarian to recommend an age-appropriate book series. . Kids
often fall in love with a series' style and characters, content to
read book after book in the series.
. Consider giving your child a monthly book allowance to
encourage him to buy new books. . Your willingness to spend money on
books shows him how much you value reading. . Subscribe your child
to a children's magazine that will foster his interest in reading.
. Always include a few gift-wrapped books as part of birthday
and holiday presents to your child.
. Keep a plethora of reading materials available in your home in
easy-to-reach places: the bathroom, the family room, and especially
by the TV. . They do not have to be expensive: peruse yard sales or
secondhand bookstores to find good books for your child.
. Keep a bag of books in the car for an easy and educational way
to keep your child entertained. . Take the books along on errands to
places where you might have to wait, like the doctor's office or
bank.
. ~ Help your child create a special reading space where he
feels comfortable. . Something as simple as a few pillows and a
poster can personalize an area of the house and make reading feel
like a special activity.
. ~ One night of the weekend, bedtime rules are off! . Tell your
child he can stay up as long as he wants to enjoy a good book in the
comfort of his bed.
. ~ Encourage your child to swap books with friends.
. ~ Be sure your child sees you reading frequently, as this
reinforces the message that reading is important and enjoyable, and
not something he simply has to do for school. . Children who see
their parents choose reading over television or other leisure
activities are more likely to do so themselves.
. It's impossible to enjoy reading if someone makes you do it,
so don't push your child to read more than he wants to, even if you
would like to see him reading more. . When he does read for
pleasure, give him positive feedback.
. Ask your child about what he is reading. . Treat him like an
expert in the field-everyone enjoys being admired. . Ask what he
likes and dislikes about a book, and take his opinions seriously.
. Lastly, help your child carve time out from his
extracurricular activities for free time to enjoy a book for
pleasure. . If he doesn't have the time to read what he enjoys and
only reads what he is forced to for school, his love of reading will
invariably diminish.
. Copyright 2006, Mom Central, Inc. Todos los derechos
reservados. |
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. Stacy DeBroff . is a dynamic national
speaker, consultant, corporate spokesperson, and writer. .
Stacy is President and founder of Mom Central, Inc. . Stacy
has also written several best-selling books on household and
family organization including:
.
The Mom Goes to School  ,
.
The Mom Book: 4,278 Tips for Moms ,
.
Sign Me Up! . The Parent's Complete Guide to Sports,
Activities, and Extracurriculars
.
Mom Central: The Ultimate Family Organizer
. Stacy has appeared on network
television including NBC's Today Show and the CBS Early Show.
. Stacy holds a B.A. . in Psychology and Comparative
Literature from Brown University, magna cum laude and Phi Beta
Kappa; and a J.D. . from Georgetown University, magna cum
laude. . Prior to launching Mom Central, Inc., Stacy founded
Harvard Law School's Office of Public Interest Advising, which
still serves as a model for law schools across the nation. .
Stacy lives with her husband, Ron, and their two children,
12-year-old Kyle and 11-year-old Brooks, outside of Boston,
Massachusetts. . Visit Stacy at www.momcentral.com .
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