You are what you read
Books play a critical role in shaping who we are and what we become.
It is vital, as parents, that we understand the critical importance of reading to our children. They will need strong literacy skills to survive and succeed in the 21st century. After all, today’s children are tomorrow’s citizens. They will be the ones looking after our future and preparing the way for the next generation.
Studies have shown that being read to as a child and having books in the home are the two most important indicators of future academic success (1). Creating a love of reading in the home is key to literacy success. Children who see their parents reading will read more.
Literacy is the ability to understand what you are reading. It is important to discuss what you are reading and talk with your children about what they think is happening in the story. Get children thinking and talking. And don’t be shy to be chatty. Boys around the age of six will speak around 7,000 words a day, while girls will speak 20,000. Studies have shown that children of talkative mothers perform better than children of quiet mothers! They use a larger vocabulary, show more curiosity and they display a more vivid and active imagination.
In New Zealand, reading statistics for the early school years are encouraging, however, once our children get to secondary school, the statistics drop off for some children (3).
As parents how can we help?
Here are 10 ways to improve reading literacy in your house
1. Make reading a priority in your lives. Show an interest and enthusiasm for reading.
2. Read aloud to your kids – even if they can read to themselves. Find a good book to share together.
3. Get talking. Increase the conversation around books, or topics of interest with your children. Children with the biggest vocabularies are the best readers4.
4. Eat at the table as a family. Encourage children to share news of their day; get them talking. This will not only increase their literacy skills, but will help facilitate communication in the family.
5. Any reading is good reading. Focus on what they are interested in. If it is sport, get them to read the sports section in the paper, or the Sunday funnies, so long as they are reading.
6. Make time. If time is a problem, ask your children to read to you while you are preparing the evening meal or folding the washing.
7. Make reading fun. Choose books around subjects your children enjoy. Get them to select their own books, and then discuss them with your children.
8. Lead your kids into a series. This ensures longevity in their reading.
9. Turn off the telly. Encourage reading instead. Reading as a leisure-time activity is the best predictor of comprehension, vocabulary and reading speed.
10. In the kitchen. Get your children to read recipes to you – better yet, get them to help you while you are cooking!
Take action and join Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Hilary Clinton and many other names you know and enter your book print on the Scholastic Read Every Day site. For more information visit www.scholastic.com/readeveryday.
References:
1A wave of New Evidence, Anne Henderson and Karen Mapp. The impact of School, family and community connections on Student Achievement
240,000 NZ Students from Year 5 – Year 12)
3 This is based on tests being undertaken as part of the norming of AsTTle
