Methods and Tips, Effective Ways to Teach Children to Read at Home – Don’t get discouraged! Teaching children to read at home is not an easy task. Even though your little ones are required to read at school, there are always reasons for them not to continue this activity at home.
So, let’s learn the ideal way to educate children so that they naturally enjoy reading. Also, find out tips to make this method successful and recommendations for ideal reading materials for them.
But first, let’s take a moment to look at the benefits of reading for your little ones.
The Importance of Teaching Children to Read
Books are windows to the world. Based on various studies, here are some of the benefits of reading for children:
- Improve language skills and cognitive abilities.
- Enrich vocabulary, both foreign and local.
- Improve focus and discipline in children.
- Enrich children’s perspectives so they don’t become narrow-minded.
- Develop empathy and emotional intelligence.
- Motivate children to live life with higher aspirations.
- Expanding children’s knowledge about various interesting facts in the world.
Improved focus and discipline are among the greatest benefits of getting children into the habit of reading from an early age.
Quoting from the website allforkids.org, it specifically explains how getting children into the habit of reading regularly can make them more disciplined and focused.
Methods for Teaching Children to Read at Home
As mentioned above, it is not easy to get children used to reading at home. However, with the following tips, parents will find it easier to make their children enjoy reading more.
1. Set aside time to read together
Create a culture of reading at home. Set aside time to read together. For example, on Sundays or every night, all family members sit down to enjoy their own reading material.
2. Make it a habit to chat about your favorite books
Next, make it a habit to talk about books you have recently read. Children may not fully understand adults’ discussions about their reading material. However, they will be intrigued to join in reading books.
3. Know the Topics He Likes
In the early stages of introducing books, choose topics that your child enjoys. For example, if your child likes soccer, there is nothing wrong with buying them a novel about soccer players or even a comic book with a soccer theme.
4. Create a Mini Library
To teach children to read at home, parents can also create a mini library. Parents can buy 1-2 books per month. The books purchased do not have to be new.
With this mini library, children will be more motivated to start reading without being asked.
5. Magazine Subscription
Don’t forget to subscribe to children’s magazines regularly. Children’s magazines are specially designed by editorial teams who understand the cognitive level and tastes of children.
Even if it is difficult to find conventional magazines, parents can subscribe to paid online magazines.
6. Give Gifts
Finally, when children are still reluctant to read books, there is nothing wrong with giving them a reward when they finish reading.
This provides additional motivation that will encourage your child to get used to reading books.
Tips for Teaching Children to Read at Home
Here are some additional tips to get children more interested in reading at home:
- Start with light reading that is easy for children to understand. Do not give them reading material that is difficult to digest, as this can create a trauma of reading.
- Take your children to places that can increase their interest in reading, such as libraries and bookstores.
- Avoid being harsh when your children are reluctant to read. If you force them continuously, they may end up hating reading.
- If your child is still very young, start reading to them before bedtime. That way, they will be familiar with books from an early age.
- Always set a good example for your child. Don’t be busy scrolling through social media while requiring your child to read books.
Recommended Books for Children
Here are some recommendations for good books for teaching children to read at home.
1. Novels by Local Authors
There are many excellent novels by local authors. For example, Anak Penangkap Hantu (The Ghost Catcher) by Asma Nadia, Laskar Pelangi (The Rainbow Troops) by Andrea Hirata, and Aku, Meps, dan Beps (Me, Meps, and Beps) by Soca Sobhita.
2. Encyclopedia
Some children may not be very interested in reading novels. They prefer reading about interesting collections of knowledge.
If this is the case, parents can buy their children encyclopedias such as the Encyclopedia of Asia, Encyclopedia of Indonesia, and so on.
3. Comics
Comics can also be an interesting alternative for teaching children to read books at home.
There are many different types of comics available. For example, comics from Japan, Europe, the US, and even comics created by Indonesians themselves.
4. Religious Books
Giving children religious-themed books will also be very beneficial. Because in addition to encouraging them to read, their religious knowledge will also increase.
For example, for Muslim families, parents can give their children books about the stories of the prophets with beautiful illustrations.
5. English Books
Finally, there is nothing wrong with giving your child English books. Parents can choose works that are easy to understand, such as the Harry Potter novels in English and collections of light English short stories.
Read Also : 7 Negative Effects of Children Being Addicted to Gadgets, Let’s Avoid Them!
Creative Tips for Teaching Children to Read at Home
Teaching children to enjoy reading is not easy. However, the long-term benefits are enormous.
By creating an environment that supports reading habits, such as reading together and providing a mini library, children will naturally grow to love books.
So parents no longer need to feel overwhelmed when teaching their children to read at home.
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