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How to Keep Your Child Excited About Reading (Part 1)

Updated: Apr 9

Let's face it, in this digital age, staying focused is one of our most significant challenges. Distractions are all around us, and children’s reading abilities suffer from the pandemic’s effects. According to the NY Times, the pandemic has drastically worsened the school reading crisis. Studies show that children in the youngest grades are missing reading benchmarks, up significantly from before the pandemic; these results are disproportionately worse for Black and Hispanic children.


Even though we are in a literary crisis, there is still hope. You can help make a difference and give your child a fighting chance for success with these tips. Before we give you the tried and true ways to set your child up for reading mastery, let’s briefly discuss why your child must become a skilled reader.


The saying, “reading is fundamental,” is true. Not only in English class, but it is also the foundation of almost every other subject. Math word problems, historical documents, procedures for science experiments, translations in a foreign language class, reading, and comprehension are paramount to having a solid, well-rounded academic background. Reading brings knowledge, and knowledge is power: therefore, reading is power.


When your child is not excited about reading due to video games, tv, or even a book they aren’t interested in, it’s common to find your child daydreaming, expressing boredom, or worse, falling asleep when it’s time to read.


Here are some tips that can help your child remain focused:


1. Get rid of all distractions

When trying to stay focused, remove or turn off anything that you think will distract your child, such as:

  • Digital devices (tablet, cell phone, tv, game console, etc.)

  • Music (instrumental music can be beneficial, but music with words may distract them)

  • Games

  • Toys

  • Pets

  • People (if they have a sibling or someone that may distract them, make it clear that it is now reading time and the room has to be quiet.

Studies say that it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get back to the original task once distracted. So, instead of your child having their phone or tablet next to them while doing their work, place it in a drawer or out of sight for while they work. We recommend your child reads physical books, but if they are reading on a device, turn off notifications and monitor that they are actively reading.


2. Increase hands-on time

There is no substitute for hands-on hours of reading practice. Your child can watch videos that help them read, though the most effective way to get better is to read with them. Parent-child reading time is a great way to bond and provides them with a sense of intimacy and well-being.


We understand that you have a busy schedule and may not be able to read with your child as often as you’d like. A solution to increase hands-on time is to book one of our compassionate, caring, and effective tutors to provide strategic E.L.A. help.


To learn more about our excellent reading tutors, click here. We are ready and happy to help!



3. Read aloud

Many of our students say they are afraid to read in class because they are not confident in their abilities. They can improve their pronunciation and diction skills when reading aloud with proper guidance. They also get used to hearing their voice and become more comfortable with their tone, breathing, and volume. Reading aloud also prepares them to be more relaxed when giving speeches, presentations, and public speaking.


4. Make it fun

Learning is fun when you make it fun! Be creative and strategic; your child will enjoy learning and retain much more.


Use their interests and find books or stories about that topic.


If your child likes basketball and needs to improve their reading comprehension and math skills, search for basketball-themed word problems. If they enjoy playing with cars, want adventure, or are interested in animals, try finding some adventure books that spark their interest and let them learn about foreign cultures, animals, nature, or all three! You can even go to the beach or park to read and give them the option to choose what books they would like to read; your child will feel more enthusiastic and involved in this reading activity.



Many distractions can keep your child from improving their reading skills, and these tips can help you combat them. Stay tuned for part 2 for more beneficial information to help your child achieve academic excellence. There is no substitute for hands-on hours of reading practice.


Sources:


Contributors:


Delia is a dedicated member of the Solomon Tutoring Writing Team. She is pursuing a degree in elementary education and enjoys reading, singing, dancing, and being around nature.




Tunisia Solomon, founder, and CEO of Solomon Tutoring enjoys sharing educational tips to help students reach academic excellence. She believes that anyone can achieve their dreams with access to the right information, a growth mindset, belief in oneself, and "smart" work,

 
 
 

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