If you're wondering how to encourage your teen to develop good reading habits, please read on.
There is nothing more important than your child's future and there is nothing more essential to your child's assurance of a successful future than the ability to read. Your child will need reading skills in order to excel in all subjects at school. To be literate enough to follow written instructions, read text books, study, answer test questions, pass a driving test, answer letters, fill out forms and job applications, write a resume, read a newspaper or magazine, and so much more.
Reading is the key to learning, that is why it is so important to make reading a priority for your child right from the cradle. Most mothers and fathers bond with their very small children in various ways. The most popular way they do this apart from cuddling and sharing affection and play activities, is to read to them. Children then bond with the enjoyment of reading. More so when we make the stories come alive. That is why it is so very important that reading begins at home, it's up to the parents to ignite a child's interest. If you are the parent of a high-schooler you must continue to treat reading as a priority.
Your child will eventually be out in the work force where good reading and writing skills will be essential. A recent study showed that parents have a major impact on a child's future. 93% of eighth and ninth graders said that their parent's input had a major influence on their plans for the future. And focus groups revealed that the majority of students relied on their parents for encouragement and motivation. Therefore, stay involved in your child's reading.
Unfortunately one third of ninth graders are relatively illiterate or have major reading problems. In actual fact, one third of students enter ninth grade with reading skills two years or more below their grade level. That definitely spells out big problems for the children who get no help. Years and years of research has proven that children who read at grade level are more successful in school and the workforce, than children who read behind grade level. Reading is deemed the key skill to a successful future.
Research also shows that talking inspires children to read. Those children who are consistently exposed to a broad range of words when talking to adults, are usually more inquisitive and learn faster than other children. Their comprehension skills are higher and their desire to learn more is increased. To increase your child's reading skills keep exposing your child to a host of reading materials. Newspapers, books, comics, magazines, the Internet, crossword puzzles, word games such as scrabble. The best gift the author was ever given as a child was a pocket dictionary, not that he appreciated it at the time!
Encourage your high schooler to discuss what they have read, to give their opinion on the latest news etc. This will aid in developing strong reading habits, encouraging this skill is one of the most important contributions to your child's education you can make. Also encourage your child to practice writing letters, journals, grocery lists, memos, e-mail letters to family and friends etc. This increases their reading skills as well, for to write you must know how to read.
Practice what you preach, if our children see us reading from an early age they will be encouraged to do likewise. Reading is much more than just knowing the words, it's how the reader comprehends the written words that is important as well. Therefore discussions are necessary in order to know if our child is fully understanding what they are reading. Purchasing books which grasp the child's imagination from the very beginning will be beneficial in encouraging them to read more. To further enhance your child's enjoyment of reading take your child to the library, there they will see so many other children engrossed in a book and see for themselves that reading can be an enjoyable pastime. There they will be overwhelmed by the amount of reading options offered to them. And the good thing about libraries is it costs nothing to borrow the books.
Books such as Fear Street by R.L. Stine, Harry Potter or books about Hannah Montana captivate teenager's imaginations. But every child has their own taste and reading preference, find out what your child's is and cater to this as much as possible. Buy books as gifts, surfing magazines, fashion magazines for the young lady, classic car magazines for the car enthusiast etc. Feed your child's desire to read by tempting them with reading material they just can't ignore.
As parents we must consistently endeavour to give our child/children the best education humanly possible. We must assure that our children are well prepared for all that life entails. Reading is most rewarding and a skill all humans need to get through life successfully.