How To Help Your Child Become A Power Reader

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How To Help Your Child Become A Power Reader
- by Alvin Poh
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In order for our children to be successful in school and
later in life, they need to be good readers. In school ,the
best students are always good readers.

This is especially at the upper grades of the educational
system where instruction is heavily dependent on
independent reading and learning. Hence it is important
that you help your child acquire the skill of reading and
cultivate the habit of a good reader.

The best way to strengthen reading skills is to read. In
reading, like many other things, practice makes
permanent. The more you read, the better you read. The
better you read. the more your enjoy. And the more you
enjoy, the more you want to read. This whole thing is a
cycle.

Below is 8 tips for parents to help their children become
better reader:

1. Offer a Variety of Reading Materials

It is almost impossible for a family to buy all the books
that the child can read. The best approach is to let the
child join as members to the library. Each time when you
visit the library, borrow as many books as you can for
your child. If it is public library, get all members of your
family to become library member so that you can use
their cards to borrow books for your child whenever
possible.

When getting books for your child, they should cover
various topics. This will expose your child to a wide
variety of knowledge and interests. The knowledge will
come very handy when later he needs to decide on the
areas of specialization. For example, we can
borrow books that cover topics on science, technology.
geography, history, arts, dance, music, puzzles, poem
etc. And of course, not forgetting stories books and fairy
tales which children enjoy most.

2. Establish A Family Reading Time

Children who are good readers usually have parents
who enjoy reading too. If possible, establish a common
reading time for your family. For example, instead of
watching TV after dinner, set 30 minutes as reading time
where everyone in the family sit down at their favorite
corner to read. That means you too, moms and dads!

3. Give Positive Feedback For Reading

Let your child know that you are proud that she read,
just as you're proud of her academic accomplishment. I
know of many parents in my country focus only on how
well their children do in their school test and
examination. Every day when their children comes back
home from school, the questions they ask their kids
often narrow only to whether there is any spelling that
need to learn and whether there is any home work that
need to be done. The parents are most happy and
satisfy when their children read the school texts and do
well in test and examination. They seldom or never
bother to encourage their children to read beyond the
textbooks. Personally I think this is bad as it does not
encourage the children to learn more and to be a
motivate learner and reader.

4. Never Use Reading As Punishment

You should never associate reading with bad behavior.
For example, if you child has done some thing wrong, do
not punish him by asking him to read a book. Such
association can lead you child in thinking that reading is
something bad.

5. Set An Example

Children learn best by what they see and not by what
you say. Moms and dads need to set good example as
good readers by forming the habit of reading regularly.
When your child see that you enjoy reading, he will
naturally pick up this good habit and become an avid
reader too.

6. Give Books As Gift

Every year for the children in home, we give books as
their birthday presents, and not toys or clothing. We
started this practice since they were 1-year-old. They
choose the books that they want when we are the
bookstore. We simply tie a ribbon over the book and
give them out on their birthday. Our children always love
what they receive.

By giving books as gift, we demonstrate to our children
that we consider books as something special and
wonderful. You may like to give this try.

7. Continue Reading Aloud To Your Child Even When
She's An Independent Reader

Reading aloud to your child is more than just about
books. It is important one-on-one time with your child.
Until they are 12-year-old or older, children are better at
listening to stories than they are at reading. They are
also more sophisticated listeners than they are readers.
My wife read classic books like "Jane Eyre", "Pride and
Prejudice", "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" etc to our 6-
year-old daughter. She loves them very much. It will be
difficult for her to get through them if we just leave her
to read the books by herself. Reading to your child is a
great way to build strong vocabulary and grammar and
not forgot strong bonding between family members.

8. Read What's Interesting

Not all books that your child read must be classic or
great literature. To encourage your child to read, choose
something that they find interesting. It can be
magazines, information books, novels, puzzle books and
even comics. The important thing is to be make sure the
content of these books are healthy.