Six Ways to Help Your Child Read More

Reading for pleasure has innumerable benefits for students. The challenge is getting students who are busy and/or disinterested to make time to read. Here are six suggestions: 

1. Meet your child where he is. Whether it’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Sports Illustrated, or National Geographic — whatever interests your child is a great place to start. 
2. Bring your child to a bookstore or library and let him roam through the stacks. With so many choices that he can hold and flip through, he’ll undoubtedly find a number of titles that pique his interest and spark some excitement.
3. Model reading. Create a quiet reading time when everyone in the house is reading a book of his or her choice.
4. Read a book together. Take turns reading every few pages, and make time to “stop and reflect” to strengthen comprehension.
5. Try an e-reader (Kindle, Nook, iPad). Who doesn’t love a little screen time? It’s a fun way to read. 
6. Connect reading to pop-culture. If your child wants to see a new movie, suggest he read the book first.