51风流

鈥淭here is more treasure in books than in all the pirate鈥檚 loot on Treasure Island.”

-Walt Disney

The thing about treasure is that everyone wants it. As someone who is a lover of books and reading, and one who will always encourage students to become passionate about reading, I want them to have this treasure.聽

I have been working with students for close to twenty years, so I understand the challenges that come with having a reluctant reader. Some of those challenges could be:

1. They do not find what they are reading interesting.聽
2. The options presented to them are too difficult.聽
3. They prefer to use their phones or watch TV.
4. They don鈥檛 have the resources that they need to boost their literacy skills.聽
5. They have a heavy or uninteresting homework load that leads them to avoid reading entirely.聽

If you are an educator or a parent, try doing a focus group with your class or surveying your kid(s) and ask them about their interests. Once you have this information, you can create reading opportunities that they will enjoy.聽

By doing this, you engage in the reading experience. As much as possible, it is important that we develop our kids鈥� passions, especially when it comes to reading. Reading is an integral part of our daily life. If your child isn鈥檛 reading at grade level, it is important to find ways to incorporate reading into their daily experiences.聽

If your student or child does not have a strong interest in reading, here are a few options to help them build a love for it.聽

Cooking

Many enjoy a delicious meal without doing the prep work. Involving kids in cooking can give you a break and encourage them to use their reading skills. Following a recipe counts as reading! Have them read each step aloud and ask, 鈥淲hat do I need to help you with?鈥� This gives them responsibility for the process.

Activity

Find an activity that interests them that has directions required to complete it. For example, if your child is really interested in arts and crafts, you could prepare an activity that has directions and steps to follow. Students will need to read over the supplies list, make sure they have everything needed, carefully read the directions, and work one step at a time to complete the activity correctly.聽

Celebrity Read Aloud

Setting a time for reading aloud with your kids is really important, but if you would like to keep it interesting, try having a friend, relative, or even a celebrity they recognize take over the reading. has tons of celebrity read-alouds to choose from, or you can search YouTube for a video of their favorite movie star or singer reading a book.聽

After listening to a few read-alouds (you can try having a 鈥榁irtual Story Time鈥� once a week) you can help your kid write their own story and record them doing their own read-aloud. The exciting part is you can share it with your family and close friends.聽

Kids Book Club

Starting a book club with your kid and their friends can be a fun and engaging way to expose them to new books and a variety of genres. This book club could be held in your home, a local library, or a park when the weather is nice. You should encourage the group to read the story together or suggest they pass the book back and forth and take turns reading. Let the group decide how many pages or chapters they will read during each session. It could be helpful to prepare a few questions to ask at the end so that they can share their thoughts about what they read.聽

Libraries Around Town

A great way to get your kids excited about reading is by visiting different libraries in your area. In many metro areas, there are dozens of public libraries to explore. Libraries are free, and full of a variety of books, programs, and events for children and families to participate in. If your child does not already have a library card, you can apply for one on your first visit and begin checking out books so that you can boost their engagement and build their love for reading. Plus, if you are ever traveling to a new area, checking out the main library in a new city can be a fun activity that kids may look forward to!

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Many children do not enjoy reading for a variety of reasons. Trying out these ideas can help keep reading fun, engaging, and relevant to daily life. The more that kids are invested in reading and the more it reflects their interests, the more likely they will enjoy it. Soon you will see your child reading all kinds of books, pamphlets, and articles, surprising you with the treasure of knowledge they鈥檝e acquired through their love for reading.聽