11 Jun 10 Ways to Teach a Love of Reading

My biggest challenge and focus right now as a homeschooling Mom is instilling in my children a love of reading.  I know that a love of reading is the basis of all lifelong, independent learning, but how is this accomplished?  How do I, as a parent, develop this essential trait in my children?

Reading directly correlates with success in school and advancement in higher education.  I’ve read that if a child reads a million words per year, they will be in top 2% of all children on standardized reading tests. This would be equivalent to reading 15 minutes a day.  However, if a child reads as little as 8000 words per year, they will be in bottom 2% of all children on standardized reading tests.  Therefore, if a child reads 3,000 words every day they will be in the top 2%, and if they read only 20 words every day, they will find themselves in the bottom 2%. Although standardized tests mean very little to me, the effects of this lack of literacy does concern me.

The statistics are dismal. 

The 2013 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) reading test results demonstrate that far too many young people continue to read below grade level. Sixty five percent of all U.S. fourth graders scored “below proficient,” which means that they are not reading at grade level. Only 35 percent of fourth graders are reading at or above grade level. In addition, 64 percent of eighth graders are reading below grade level, whereas 36 percent are reading at or above grade level. Still, these statistics do show an improvement at both grade levels. In 1992, 72 percent of fourth graders and 71 percent of eighth graders were reading below grade level. 

U.S. Department of Education, “The Nation’s Report Card,” 2013

Despite these statistics, 80% of American adults cannot read at an 8th grade level.  I’m not a believer in blaming schools.  I’m a firm believer in taking responsibility for your children and their success. With that in mind, I have researched ways to cultivate success.  I am also including what has worked for me.  My children were not naturally drawn to books.  In fact, it has taken us all five years of my five-year old son’s life to get to the point where sitting down to read is a pleasure.  

Here are 10 ways to develop a love of reading in your child:

1. Model the Behavior to Your Children

Model the behavior to your children.  Show them that you love to read by enjoying books in your downtime.  Show them and teach them that you value books and their content.  From the first time Clark handled a book, I began teaching him to respect and care for his books.  Books are never allowed to left out or on the floor and must be handled carefully.  That’s not to say I haven’t ever found them being stood on, chewed up or thrown out of the bookshelf in a massive pile, but I try.Start when the children are babies.  We were lucky to receive many books as shower gifts when I was pregnant with Clark.  I’ve even heard of folks having “book showers,” where the only gifts are books.  How amazing is that?! 

2. Surround Yourselves in Books

We have as many bookshelves as we can in our home, but owning as many books as you’d like is not always feasible or reasonable.  That’s where your local library, bookstore, or thrift store comes in.  We are very fortunate to have an incredible library in our city.  There is an entire floor just for the children and we use it regularly.  Going to the library is a treat for my kids.  They love to run in, grab any book they want and sit down in the little chairs to read.  We also greatly benefit from garage sales and consignment sales where books are often sold for pennies.

3. Make Reading Social

Arrange for your children to interact with other children around books. Libraries are great for this.  You can also arrange book clubs or participate in local reading challenges.  Talk together as a family about the books you read or read together.

4. Read Aloud to Your Children Every Day

Set aside a quiet time or use it as a time to reset and calm down.  Read as part of your bedtime routine.  I will often read one page and have my child read the next page.  This way we are both engaged and interacting.

5. Include Audio Books

My sister was just telling me how she just discovered that her son (age 5) is an audio learner.  While he’s never had an interest in books, she found that he loves to listen to audio books!  That counts too!

6. Incorporate Your Child’s Interested Into Their Reading

pMake it interesting for them.  We recently went through a phase where both my children were obsessed with jellyfish.  I couldn’t read them enough about them.  In comparison, this last week we were studying rabbits.  I was kind of surprised that neither of the children cared less about the rabbits.  They were unfocused while I read and often didn’t sit down to read with me for more than 2 minutes.  Find and develop the child’s passion and interest.  “If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.”  ~J.K. Rowling

7. Show That Reading Can Be Useful and Practical

When Clark asks me a question, I usually answer “Let’s look it up at the library!”  He is learning that almost all information can come from books…  how to grow butterflies, how to make a wind chime, how to plan a garden, how to make all kinds of crafts and experiments…  I want him to think of the library as a goldmine!

8. Turn Off The Electronics

I know this is hard, but no kid I know is going to read when there is a TV on, or any other electronic or hand-held device to batter their minds with passive stimulation.

9. Introduce Your Children to the Classics

Introduce your children to classics, or “living books” as described by Charlotte Mason.  These books have stood the test of time for a reason and usually the reason is because they capture the heart and mind of readers of all ages.  I noticed an immediate difference when I began reading living books to my children.  That is when they finally sat down and listened while I read an entire story.

10. Make Reading a Daily Commitment

Make reading a daily commitment.  There were many, many times I only got through the first page of a story before Clark and Luci were off running, but eventually and gradually reading has become something special in our home.  I am thankful that I can say from experience, it will eventually pay off!