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Choosing Just the Right Book

Choosing just the right book can encourage children to read. A 'just right' book looks interesting to a child. Perhaps, he/she has heard the story read aloud to him/her before. A child may also have read and enjoyed the author's other books. He/she knows something about the topic being read. Most importantly if a child is expected to read alone, he/she knows most of the words.

STEPS TO ENCOURAGE READING JUST RIGHT BOOKS

*Preview the text and make predictions. What is the story about? Look at the title, pictures, summary on the back cover and chapter titles.

*Ask questions during and after reading the selection. Start with open-ended, opinionated questions to create a 'risk-free' zone. Children hesitate to recall facts if they may be incorrect.

*Relate the story to the child's experiences and current knowledge. Children like telling stories and talking about things they know to be true.

*Take turns reading pages. Even older students enjoy being read to periodically. This is especially beneficial if the book is challenging.

*Draw a picture of what is going on in the story or a comic strip. Involving talents other than auditory skills will increase the likelihood of a child remembering.

*Take notes while reading on a post-it note. Children tend to like office supplies. Use post-it notes in different colors and wacky pencils to make the note taking more interesting.

*Sound out new words together. If a child is having difficulty, help him/her out by modeling how to sound out new words.

*Look up unknown words in a dictionary or use context clues. Demonstrating how to problem solve by using another resource like the dictionary enables children to eventually be proactive learners.

*Learn new vocabulary words by using a word wheel, word slide, and/or flashcards. All of these items can be made and decorated by children making the experience more meaningful for them.

*Read different genres and types of publications including books, magazines, newspapers, letters, websites, lyrics, and plays. By exposing children to all types of reading, he/she will more likely notice the relevance of the written word in everyday life.

*Tie reading selections into movies or television shows that children enjoy. The familiarity with the characters makes the book more pertinent for children.

*Read alone to a younger child or read along with an older child. When an older child reads to a younger child, he/she is the teacher. The older child is applying a skill and that is what children need to learn how to do.

*Reread favorites. Children benefit from repetition and often feel successful when they can read a book alone due to practice.

*Use audio books from the library. Generally, people as a whole have weak auditory skills. The use of books on tape can help children practice listening.

For children to build confidence reading, they need to practice in a risk-free environment. Help him/her make positive just right book choices to ensure greater success.

Learn more about this author, Mandy Donoghue.
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