A love of reading is strongly correlated with personal growth, higher education, and a better quality of life. What do you do when your child doesn’t like to read? The following is Part Two of an excellent article on this subject by longtime educator Robert Morgan. I’m sure you will find many ideas in this article that help you encourage your child to read. 

Click here for Part One with 14 additional ways to encourage your child to read: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewarticle.asp?id=38849 

CREATIVE WAYS TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO READ

By Robert Morgan

All of these methods may not work with every student, but some may be the key for some students. These are geared toward parents, but apply well to teachers.

15. Don't forget book browsing on the World Wide web. Try Amazon.com as a great starting point.

16. You might find that kids will read pages on the world wide web. Help them find pages with content that fits their own personal interests.

17. It is important that children have hobbies or interests. Help your children develop such interests and make sure they have or seek reading material about their interests.

18. Praise your child for his or her reading when appropriate. For example, praise the child when a long or difficult book is completed.

19. When a topic of interest develops which involves the whole family--an upcoming trip or vacation, for example--bring home some books on the topic to share with the family.

20. Attend used book sales at libraries and other places where good books can be had inexpensively.

21. Discuss with your child any book he or she is reading for a class at school. Read the book yourself.

22. When you and your child are working on something together have him or her read the directions. Many models and construction kits turn out better when a child reads the instructions aloud.

23. Discuss ideas in books your child reads. For that matter, where appropriate, discuss ideas in books you read. For that matter, read the books your children read.

24. Display good books somewhere in your home. Let children know that books have an important place in the home. And don't limit the books to a few essentials...have a generous selection of a wide variety of books.

25. Look for computer programs which encourage reading.

26. Check out text adventure games...an old computer game genre which required a lot of reading and thinking. A search on "text adventure games" on a major World Wide Web search program should yield many choices. Check the Creative Teaching Links page for good places to look. http://www.creativeteachingsite.com/teachlink.html/

27. Have your child put his name in his books. Ownership is important! Some parents even recommend bookplates or custom bookplates.

28. Help your child develop a non-sports hobby. Then provide him with books on the hobby. Hobbies help develop curiosity.

Copyright © 1999 Robert Morgan

Most recent revision, December 29, 2004

Robert Morgan has been teaching and teaching teachers for 40 years. Currently a classroom teacher and technology coordinator, he has taught most subjects at most grade levels from 4 - college. The holder of an honorary chair in Applied and Innovative education, his work with space shuttle simulation in the classroom continues to receive national recognition.

Morgan founded The Creative Teaching Web Site at http://creativeteachingsite.com/ which helps teachers develop more creative teaching ideas and more thoroughly enjoy their profession.

Strawberry Shakespeare is the author of Saving Bluestone Belle, an award-winning, comic-adventure novel for kids ages 9-12 that has proven popular with reluctant readers because of its fast pace, colorful action and snappy dialogue. Click the link below to find out more about Saving Bluestone Belle.