What it takes to make children life-long readers
Friday, April 27, 2018
As a teacher, I’m often asked by parents how I read to my school kids. Children come home raving about my story-telling and parents ask for tips, even going as far as suggesting I do a YouTube channel so that they can copy how I do it. '
The secret to my success? I love reading. That, and MANY years of story-telling, multiple stories every day to as many as 6 different classes, as well as my own child.
Because it shows in my voice, how I interpret characters, how lines are said in dialogue, how the words feel in my mouth when I read a line I particularly love. If you love to read as I do, you will understand what I mean.
But what if you don’t love reading? Practice reading aloud. Listen to some audiobooks until you find a narrator whose style appeals to you. By all means, watch YouTube videos of children’s stories being read. The CBeebies Bedtime Stories are a great place to start. You don’t have to put on the voices, or have suspenseful pauses, but sure, they help. Practice. Listen to how others tell a story, what makes it so interesting to listen to? Is it the tone and pitch of their voice? Do they use effects (like putting on accents) or making background sounds? Do they pause for effect?
You may be thinking it’s too overwhelming or daunting, but remember, you won’t be perfect the first time. You don’t have to be. Practice. Practice. Practice every day. Make sure your children are read to every day. EVERY DAY. Without fail. All this practice and you can’t help but become a storyteller!
The research behind this is solid. Children whose parents read to them every day communicate earlier, have larger vocabularies, and are more likely to start reading earlier, setting them up to be life-long readers. Parents who dedicated time every day ensured that children made substantial time for reading when they became independent readers later on.
Let your children choose the books. This one is a no-brainer. When children have the freedom to choose and follow their interests, they are more likely to pursue these areas later.
And then when they’ve finished reading, discuss and share your ideas about the books. Share books with friends and set up reading playdates, or make story-telling a part of their playdate. Children who love to read, love talking about the books they’ve read. Setting up reading communities with others who love reading helps to provide a peer group which support and challenge each other to try new kinds of books. As literacy expert, Stephen Krashen reminds us, “Children read more when they see other people reading.”
In addition, parents can look at the environment which surrounds their children, at home and at school. Do these areas have dedicated library or reading corners? If not, suggest it to the school or set one up at home. Making it as comfortable and as cozy as possible with rugs, blankets and cushions, fairy lights and soft toys will make it enticing for children to pass the time curled up with their favourite adventure, and has the added bonus of being a nice quiet, calm down area if kids are feeling tired or stressed. If you don’t have the space for a book nook, get down to your local library. HK public libraries have a great variety of children’s books in Chinese and English, as well as kids audiobooks. If you go out about town with your kid, bring a book to keep them occupied, rather than relying on devices. Keep a pile of books by the door and grab one before you head out.
So what are you waiting for? Find your favourite story and go on a reading adventure together!
Playgroups are a popular way of socialising your little one as a first introduction to school. Read our article written by Hong Kong Playgroup Specialist who put together "a short guide to etiquette to help you navigate your new playgroup! "
➡【Join our Mighty Oaks family!/ 快來加入奧恩大家庭】
➡【 Sign up for Acorn Trial Class now!/Acorn 試堂優惠】
The secret to my success? I love reading. That, and MANY years of story-telling, multiple stories every day to as many as 6 different classes, as well as my own child.
Because it shows in my voice, how I interpret characters, how lines are said in dialogue, how the words feel in my mouth when I read a line I particularly love. If you love to read as I do, you will understand what I mean.
But what if you don’t love reading? Practice reading aloud. Listen to some audiobooks until you find a narrator whose style appeals to you. By all means, watch YouTube videos of children’s stories being read. The CBeebies Bedtime Stories are a great place to start. You don’t have to put on the voices, or have suspenseful pauses, but sure, they help. Practice. Listen to how others tell a story, what makes it so interesting to listen to? Is it the tone and pitch of their voice? Do they use effects (like putting on accents) or making background sounds? Do they pause for effect?
You may be thinking it’s too overwhelming or daunting, but remember, you won’t be perfect the first time. You don’t have to be. Practice. Practice. Practice every day. Make sure your children are read to every day. EVERY DAY. Without fail. All this practice and you can’t help but become a storyteller!
The research behind this is solid. Children whose parents read to them every day communicate earlier, have larger vocabularies, and are more likely to start reading earlier, setting them up to be life-long readers. Parents who dedicated time every day ensured that children made substantial time for reading when they became independent readers later on.
Let your children choose the books. This one is a no-brainer. When children have the freedom to choose and follow their interests, they are more likely to pursue these areas later.
And then when they’ve finished reading, discuss and share your ideas about the books. Share books with friends and set up reading playdates, or make story-telling a part of their playdate. Children who love to read, love talking about the books they’ve read. Setting up reading communities with others who love reading helps to provide a peer group which support and challenge each other to try new kinds of books. As literacy expert, Stephen Krashen reminds us, “Children read more when they see other people reading.”
In addition, parents can look at the environment which surrounds their children, at home and at school. Do these areas have dedicated library or reading corners? If not, suggest it to the school or set one up at home. Making it as comfortable and as cozy as possible with rugs, blankets and cushions, fairy lights and soft toys will make it enticing for children to pass the time curled up with their favourite adventure, and has the added bonus of being a nice quiet, calm down area if kids are feeling tired or stressed. If you don’t have the space for a book nook, get down to your local library. HK public libraries have a great variety of children’s books in Chinese and English, as well as kids audiobooks. If you go out about town with your kid, bring a book to keep them occupied, rather than relying on devices. Keep a pile of books by the door and grab one before you head out.
So what are you waiting for? Find your favourite story and go on a reading adventure together!
Playgroups are a popular way of socialising your little one as a first introduction to school. Read our article written by Hong Kong Playgroup Specialist who put together "a short guide to etiquette to help you navigate your new playgroup! "
➡【Join our Mighty Oaks family!/ 快來加入奧恩大家庭】
➡【 Sign up for Acorn Trial Class now!/Acorn 試堂優惠】
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