Start a Healthy Habit….READ!!!
November 15, 2005   

Kinston – The Neuse Regional Library wants all caregivers to encourage children to get in the habit of reading. 

Children today might be more technologically advanced than most adults could ever hope to be, but did you know that roughly 35% of children in the United States enter school without the skills necessary for learning to read?  Children who have difficulty reading have trouble in school.  Reading basics might be learned in the classroom, but the learning should begin before starting school.  As a parent or caregiver, there is a lot you can do to help your child develop good reading skills.

First of all, read to your child.  Learning starts from birth and even very young babies are fascinated by books.  Babies need to hear and use sounds, sound patterns, and spoken language to learn how to use them.  Sound knowledge helps prepare them to eventually learn to read printed words.  Toddlers like rhymes and short stories, and often want to hear the same story over and over.  Connect them to the story by having them talk about some of the items on each page in picture books.  Making books, stories, and storytelling a part of daily routine will help nurture a love of books and foster the skills necessary to learn to read. 

You can also read with your children.  Children who are learning to read need to practice their new skill.  If they are doing well, nightly home reading is a chance for them to show off.  If they are having trouble, reading at home provides a safe place to practice with someone they trust.  If your child has trouble reading, choose stories with experiences and settings they can identify with.  If your child is an impatient reader, choose books with short chapters and cliff-hangers to encourage the child to keep reading.

Next, help choose books but give your child some choice in what they are reading.  Though children may not like to be told what to read, they may not make good choices if left completely on their own.  They might choose the biggest or smallest book, or the one with the most attractive cover.  Students who are behind in their reading level may not want to be seen with a book that is “babyish,” so they may choose books that are too hard for them.  Sometimes books for older students with low reading levels may be boring.  A good strategy is for the parent or teacher to choose one book and let the child choose the next.  Readers who are struggling often complain that reading is too hard and give up quickly.  It is important to support children who decide to take on a longer book.  Parents can take turns reading, alternating paragraphs or pages with the child.  

Reading well is about understanding meaning, not just knowing how to say the words.  When you are helping a child read, focus on understanding rather than pronunciation.  If your child is stuck on a word, don’t just sound it out, talk about the text and ask questions.  Help your child figure out the word from the context of the rest of the passage or the pictures.  Try not to interrupt unless the mistakes will affect a child’s ability to understand the text.

To encourage reading, try an incentive chart.  Another idea is to keep a reading diary or a simple list of books read.  In a reading diary, children write down the book read and their thoughts about the book.  Children should be encouraged to keep their own reading lists, which gives them practice writing.  One of the most significant factors in a child’s reading development is having role models.  It is important for children to see their parents and other family members enjoying reading books, newspapers, or magazines.  This helps them learn that reading is important and valuable.

Lastly, visit your local library and get your child a library card as soon as you can.  Make a 30 minute library visit part of your weekly routine.  Introduce your children to all of the things that the library has to offer including Story Time and programs.  There are endless amounts of knowledge just waiting to be used.  Also, create a library at home.  If there are books in the house, a child is more likely to pick one up when there is nothing to do.  

Reading is much like eating right and exercise.  If you start early and practice often, it will stay with you.  To find out more, visit your local library or call the Children’s Department of the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library at 527-7066, Ext. 133.  And start a healthy habit…READ.