Being a good reader is one of the best predictors of academic
success, says a University of
Georgia expert. But reading isn’t easy for
thousands of American children.

Involve
yourself

“Luckily, parents can help children learn to love
reading,” said Diane Bales,
an Extension
Service human development specialist with the UGA College of Family
and Consumer Sciences.

“The first step is to read to your children regularly,
beginning in infancy,”
Bales said. “Hearing you read helps children learn
language. And sharing books
teaches your child that reading is fun.”

Don’t be surprised if your child wants to hear the same
story over and over. Repetition
actually helps young children learn better.

Set a good
example

Another important step in helping your child enjoy
reading is to pick up a book
yourself. “When your kids see you reading a newspaper or
curling up with a book,
they’ll want to follow your example,” she said.

When your child begins to learn reading in school,
there are many other ways to help
him be a better reader, Bales said.

Make reading a family outing. “Plan regular family
trips to the library,” she
said. “Make sure everyone has his own library card and
make visiting the library a
habit.”

Make it a
habit

Set aside regular times for reading, and have good
books available. Just like playing
basketball or painting pictures, reading is a skill. It
must be practiced regularly.
Research shows that children who read for fun at least 30
minutes every day become better
readers at school.

Read aloud to your child, and read with your
child. “Have your child select a book
for you to read aloud,” Bales said. “As she learns to read
better, take turns
reading a sentence or a page aloud.”

What can you do if you’re not a good reader? Encourage
your child to read aloud to you.
Have an older child read to a younger sibling. Ask a
friend or relative to read aloud to
your children. Talk with your children about the books
they read. Act out stories from
their favorite books.

Keep reading and
encouraging

Bales said many parents mistakenly stop reading to
their children once the child learns
to read independently.

“Don’t stop reading to your children as they grow
older,” she said.
“Choose good stories that are beyond their current reading
level. And talk about what you’re
reading.”

Think of creative ways to encourage your children to
read. Give books as gifts.
“Occasionally allow your child to stay up past her usual
bedtime if she agrees to
read a book in bed. Or agree to read aloud a chapter of a
favorite book if your child
helps wash the dishes,” Bales said.

Make reading
fun

Reading can also become a game. “Send your child on a
scavenger hunt through the
newspaper,” Bales said. “Have him read the day’s weather
report, or three words
that begin with ‘w.’”

Let your child select books that interest her.
Recommend some of your childhood
favorites. But encourage her, too, to choose what she
really wants to read. Children are
more likely to be motivated to read when they’re reading
something they like.

“Helping children see reading as a useful tool can also
motivate them,” Bales
said. “Have them read the road signs as you travel or the
ingredients of a favorite
recipe as you cook. This helps them see how important
reading is in our lives.”