Do You Have A Love of Reading !!
The shout “bedtime!” at the end of the day is greeted with cheers at the Jaffer household, thanks to a fun ritual that the whole family looks forward to — reading together.
“Reading a story to the children is part of our daily bedtime routine,” says Rahim Jaffer, of Vancouver — father to 5-year-old Keyaan and 22-month-old Mikyle — “so much that Keyaan won't go to sleep unless he's had a chance to read a story, even a short one.”
Children are like sponges: eager to learn. Research indicates that when soaked with the right kind of learning —such as reading. Parents can improve their children’s chances of being successful at school, simply by being active and regular readers to them.
But what evidence supports this belief? In a report called The Effect of Family Literacy Interventions on Children’s Acquisition of Reading, Dr Monique Sénéchal, an associate professor of psychology at Carleton University, did a review of 14 intervention studies, representing 1174 families. She found that parent involvement does have a positive impact on children’s reading acquisition.
“Reading books to young children exposes children to ideas, concepts, and language that can be novel, more varied, and more complex than those typically introduced during parent-child conversations,” says Dr Sénéchal.
Start Early
In today’s society, where the bar for both success and competence is much higher than ever before, it is imperative that children acquire linguistic and cognitive skills long before entering elementary school. By the age of five, children differ markedly in their success in reaching the required developmental goals.
Laila Ladha, who is an avid reader to her 9-year-old daughter Alina, offers great advice to parents:
“From day one when your child comes home from the hospital, start reading to him or her,” she says. When her daughter was an infant, Ladha would take time out from her hectic schedule to sit down and read to her while the baby would touch the pictures. Today Alina is an advanced reader and currently enrolled in a gifted and talented programme at her elementary school.
“Reading aloud to children should begin in the womb, love of reading in young children through music and storytelling. It opens their minds up to the world and builds their sense of inquiry, leading to a higher level of thinking.”
A few minutes a day to develop a Habitual Reader:
Consistency is the key when it comes to making a commitment to read to your child, whether it is for 15 minutes, 30 minutes or interspersed throughout the day. It is never too late to start. It is imperative that older children are encouraged to continue the practice.
Young children might not have the patience to sit for longer lengths of time. Sit them down on your lap and read for 30 seconds or even a minute, Involve them in the story by asking leading questions. Then, gradually increase the time as their interest peeks.
Nazim Karim of California, who is the editor of The Ismaili USA, notes how reading to his two sons — Alykhan and Jamil — every evening for 30 minutes, paid off in the long run. Both the boys, now in their twenties, are voracious readers and write extremely well.
The result might not be seen instantly, but the day you see it, we guarantee you will feel proud in cultivating the love of reading in your children.”
Tips for parents
The following are tips for Parents to develop healthy reading habits in their children:
Make reading a bonding time:
Choose a book or two to read with your children as a way to spend quality time together rather than sit in front of the television. If your child has a favorite TV show, check out a book from the library that features the characters from that show.
Be regular in reading:
Read regularly to your children and lead by example by being a reader yourself. When your children see the importance of reading in your life, chances are they would take it seriously too.
Visit libraries and Book Stores:
Make regular visits to the library and bookstores with your children and help them choose books that interest them.
Make reading fun:
When sitting with a book, discuss the visual portions of the book with your children. Younger children also respond with enthusiasm to animated expressions and special sound effects.
Make reading rewarding:
As special incentive for good behaviour or on special occasions, reward your children with extra reading time or books. Consider putting your children into summer reading programmes.
Remember:
Reading to children is one of the best ways to put them on the road to Success - Academically and Personally.
Appreciate receiving your comments and thoughts. Thank You!
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