Reading Rocks!

(Adapted from school newsletter - 13 March 2014)

It was Mark Twain who said, “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them”.

After a week of grade 4 – 7 parent interviews, I was reminded of the importance of this sadly underrated pastime. As an English teacher, parents frequently seek advice as to how their children can improve their results in this subject. Each time, my answer is essentially the same – READ.

Consider the following:

Why can’t I skip my 20 minutes of reading tonight?

Student “A” reads an average of 20 minutes a day Student “B” reads an average of 5 minutes a day Student “C” reads an average of 1 minute a day

3600 minutes in a school

year 900 minutes in a school year 180 minutes in a school year

1 800 000 words 282 000 words 8 000 words

By the end of Grade 6, “Student A” will have read the equivalent of 60 school days; “Student B” will have read only 12 school days.

Which student would you expect to have a better vocabulary, better spelling, comprehension and general knowledge? In fact, which student would you expect not only to be more successful in school, but in life?

The information presented is from a research study on independent reading and young students by Nagy and Herman in 1987

Logically, the next question that follows is how we develop a culture of reading in our children.

1. Let children see YOU reading!

Relax with a book, magazine or newspaper. Share what you’ve read.

2. Word and Reading Games

Children enjoy using technology, which is so much a part of their lives today. Find reading and word games that they can enjoy on computers or hand-held devices.

3. Read mysteries together and try to figure out the clues together.

4. Movies are NEVER as good as the book, so encourage children to read the book before watching the movie, then discuss the differences.

5. Have a comfortable and appealing reading space.

6. Ask questions about the book.

· What is the story about?

· Who are the important characters?

· Where does the story take place?

· Why do you think the character has made certain choices?

7. Share with your child about the book you are reading.

8. Don’t always make your child read aloud – let them enjoy the story and visualize the excitement and energy of the make-believe world.

9. Encourage them to read fiction and non-fiction – a variety of texts will cater for any interest.