Teachers / Parents
Encouraging children to read and write
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Read regularly to your children, starting when they are in the womb
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Set the example. A child who sees a parent reading is more likely to pick up a book
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Put a bookshelf in your child's room and fill it with a variety of books
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Create a comfortable, cheerful reading space - a sofa, a pile of bright cushions or a pretty corner of the garden
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Help them find time to read and write. Sometimes this means simply thinking or scribbling. You could allow reading time between bed and lights out, or have some TV-free times
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Encourage your child to enter 'Read-a-thons'. They feel a real sense of achievement at the number of books they have read. Awards, such as certificates or book prizes help too
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Let TV help. Ask your child to read the TV guide then select shows they wish to watch. Ask them why they chose those particular shows. TV log books can be used for children to rate their shows with a star system or reviews
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Share stories with your children about your own childhood, tell them the story of their birth and the funny things they did as toddlers
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Have books readily available throughout the house
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Visit the local library as a family. Introduce your children to the librarian. Arrange for your child to have his or her own library card. Go to the storytelling, puppet or author sessions
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Use booklists that say, 'If you like this book, then you might like to try...' Public libraries, school libraries and websites have these lists
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Ask teachers or other parents which books their children have enjoyed
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Visit bookshops
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Consider a book allowance
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If your child starts a book but doesn't finish it, that's okay, but praise them for finishing a long or difficult book
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Borrow or buy 'talking books' on tape or CD to play at bedtime
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Let them read to you, but don't force them
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Read the books your children are reading at school and talk about them
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Subscribe to a magazine that interests your child. It's exciting when the postie brings it to the house with the child's own name on the front
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Help children find websites that suit their interests
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Select computer games that encourage reading
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Ask your child to read out instructions for new purchases, the backs of DVD's in the rental shop, catalogues or labels. An easy way to encourage reading of recipes is to give your child a simple cookbook, then ask them to choose a recipe that you will cook together. They can also write their favourite recipes in their own book
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Play games that include words. For example, cut words from old newspapers that your child would say describes his or her self, then put them together to make a poem. At the cinema, try to find the alphabet in the credits.
- Keep books in the car - this helps long journeys pass quicker too
- If your child really enjoyed a particular movie and it's based on a book, buy or borrow the book
- When you are travelling, ask your child to look up the street directory or map and plot a course - they can also read out street signs
- Suggest your child starts a dream diary
- Ask your child to help you write shopping lists. It also keeps children busy if it's their task to cross off each item as it's purchased
- Keep a message board in the house where each family members write notes and read them
- Help your child find a pen-pal
- Make it a habit to write Thank You notes when someone does something special for you – where the child is reluctant to take the time, one option is to ban the toy or gift until the note is written, you’ll be amazed how quickly it is done
- Encourage your child to make their own greeting cards
- Read to your children while they draw pictures of the story - it helps them visualise the characters and setting
- Ask your child to write captions for photos in your albums (discuss it first!)
- When you go on holidays, keep a travel diary
- Turn your child’s written story into a book and bind the pages with ribbon
- Enter writing competitions
- Display your child’s writing on the fridge or family notice board
- Family time capsule: each person writes about their interests, hopes and dreams, whatever they feel is important, then bury/hide it and open it in the agreed number of years
- Let your child write words and pictures on cement with chalk
- Give your child a pad of sticky-notes so they can write their own reminders
- Suggest making lists: ways to cheer up a sick friend, 10 places they’d like to visit, books they have always wanted to read, favourite holiday activities, favourite songs – and if you, the parent, do the same and share it’s a great way to communicate
- Suggest the child writes out the words to their favourite song, so they can learn it or sing along
- Start a family scrapbook with pictures, memorabilia and stories
- If your child has read a book they like, then get them to write a letter to their favourite character in the book: a further option is to post or email this to the author
- Create a family newsletter or website to which all can contribute
- When you are on holidays, encourage your child to write postcards home to his or herself – this also works as a form of diary as they get to keep the note on the back, photos of the places visited and the stamps
- Keep a family joke book, where each member adds jokes they particularly enjoyed
Don’t force the issue. Quietly encourage and set a good example that
children, overlook spelling errors and try to understand the message,
give honest praise for writing well done
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In this section
'What do planets like to read?'
'Comet Books.'
'What is a book's favorite food?'
'A bookworm.'
'What does the mummy do when he goes to the library?'
'He gets all wrapped up in a good book.'
'A good book is a friend that turns its back on you and remains a friend.'
Anonymous
Boys reading: Sonya Etchison, BigStockPhoto
Little Girl Reading: Nathalie Fraiz, BigStockPhoto
Teens reading: Galina Barskaya, BigStockPhoto
Boys and dog reading newspaper: Sonya Etchison, BigStockPhoto