I love reading but I wasn’t born like that. Nobody is. As a child, my parents ensured we were surrounded by a wide variety of books. At bedtime, we were allowed an extra half hour to read before our lights had to be turned out. On family shopping trips, there were no ice-creams but we were allowed to choose a new Enid Blyton or Nancy Drew book. As a child, I took this for granted but as an adult, I realise how blessed I was.
Reading is like any other new skill – whether it be learning a musical instrument, a new language, or a sport. The mechanics of learning are the same – the more you do it, the easier it gets. A few minutes of practice per day can compound into a significant increase in skill level. A few minutes of reading per day will bring about an increase in comprehension, fluency and creativity.
One of the quickest and easiest things you can do to set your child up for future academic success is to develop a reading culture at home. Read them a story, discuss the pictures and storyline, get them to read back to you. Expose them to words, stories, facts, and ideas. This will not only enhance their vocabulary and comprehension skills, it will also help them to learn about a wide range of cultures and perspectives. This helps them to develop empathy and understanding of worlds beyond their own.
Perhaps you could spend some time this Christmas having a family reading time. Icelanders have a tradition of giving books on Christmas Eve and then settling in with a good book and chocolate for the evening. You could also spend time together choosing and enjoying stories, discussing how they unfold and which characters they related to. Did they predict the ending or were they surprised?
The bonus of a family reading time is that it strengthens family bonds as you spend quality time engaging in stories and the discussions that follow. Fostering a reading culture in the home promotes intellectual growth, cultural awareness, creative thinking, and strong family bonds – it is the gift that keeps on giving.
Mrs Helen Lindsay
Secondary Teacher Librarian
Type on the line above then press the Enter/Return key to submit a new search query