Jules Says: Modelling Reading

Here are a few ideas for all you “TechnoTeaching” parents to use with your children to make reading and talking about books exciting. As parents, you have the opportunity to impact your children’s lives by modelling a love of reading and writing. Here are a few strategies for you to try. 

1. Introduce your child to fun and engaging children’s books. Make sure they are at the right level for him. The length of stories, sophistication of ideas, and language development are all-important considerations.
2. Read interactively with your child. Ask her questions as you go. Pay special attention to interesting and colourful words. Encourage her to be the teller of the tale. 
3. When you are sharing an information book together, also encourage your child to share what he is learning. Have him be the one who explains the important information to you. 
4. Have your child help select the book she wants to read. Pick out two or three books that you think are appropriate and then have her choose among them. 
5. Be an actor! When you read a scene with your child that has clever dialogue, take turns reading the parts of the different characters. Make your voices sound the way their voices would sound—happy, afraid, excited, puzzled, and so on.
6. When your child finds a book that he loves, find out if there are more like it in a series. Or see if the author has written other books that your child might enjoy. 
7. Be creative! Have your child respond to the books you read together with art or music. What does she see in her imagination when you’re reading together? What type of music would make a good soundtrack for the book?
8. Writing is part of reading. The two go together hand-in-hand. After you have shared a book, have your child respond in writing. He may, for example, draw a picture of the part he liked best. Help him write a word or two that captures the idea behind his illustration.
9. Read with others. Make reading a social event by visiting libraries and reading with the librarian and other children your child’s age. Or invite other children to your home to share favourite books!
10. Make sure your child sees you reading and enjoying books. As you know, actions speak a thousand words. Your love of books and reading will help your child develop a lifelong love of literature and nonfiction works.

Draw on the same strategies when you’re introducing your children to eBooks. It’s all about sharing books together and developing you’re child’s comprehension and language abilities. Most of all have fun.

(Adapted from a piece I wrote for HarperCollins Canada website.)

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