The Joys of Reading
I’ve been thinking… about the joys of reading.
My grands are all beginning to read. What adventures await! But challenges abound as well.
I once heard a noted educator say that reading is the hardest thing the brain has to learn to do. As a reading specialist, I get questions from parents on how to best help their children with “reading homework.”
First — don’t make reading feel like homework! Don’t make reading about doing school! Worksheets and such are homework, but that’s not reading. Rather – make reading magical and fun and totally engaging by enjoying books together.
Start with what your child loves. Soccer. Dinosaurs. Dance. Horses. Dogs. Cats. Guaranteed the local library or your school library has lots of books on whatever subject grabs their attention.
What triggers your child’s curiosity? Ocean creatures? How to train a puppy? What makes a volcano erupt?
Find the answers in books! Many others have asked similar questions and have written books — for children — with the answers. Some readers prefer “real” stories – nonfiction. Children can explore the pictures. Sit with them and read captions or the text as they point to what they find interesting. Discover answers together.
Nothing is sweeter than sitting with a child and sharing their books.
Have a special place for reading — and quiet, uninterrupted time. Don’t compete with screens. Find the time and place where you both can relax and enjoy the book — or books.
This is not a reading lesson. No sounding out words, no questions on what the main idea is. Leave that important instruction for the teacher and school.
In the new activity posted this week, Jayne refers to ZPD — Zone of Proximal Development. Educators (like Jayne!) are familiar with this learning theory. But parents, you see this in action all the time! Essentially, psychologist Lev Vygotsky explained how individuals learn new skills — like reading— by working through three stages.
A task is beyond the child’s reach — even with assistance. The child’s adult reading partner reads the book and answers the child’s questions. For example, the directions to how to build a Lego helicopter are beyond the child’s ability to read and follow. Adults manage that part and help adapt the activity to what the child can do.
A task that the child can accomplish — with assistance. When a child is close to mastering a skill, they may still need some support. Think how a child is happily reading but needs help with some unfamiliar words. Just read the word for them. Don’t turn it into a “lesson” that cramps the fun of reading. Help when asked and let the child keep going at his or her pace.
A task that the child can accomplish — without assistance. This is the goal! Teachers call this “independent reading level.” Of course, when the child is at this point, we offer the next level of reading material to keep stretching their ZPD!
The terminology is fancy, but the concept is very basic. We offer help where needed as we watch our budding readers grow into lifelong booklovers!
The joy of reading is shared by adult reading partners as well as the child. There is a bunch of deep dive research on the benefits of reading aloud to children. Why not prove it to yourself? Pick out books together — child’s choice. Find your special place and time.
Then…
Just relax and read!
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“What is the Zone of Proximal Development?” By Kendra Cherry
www.verywellmind.com theories>developmental psychology
