One in four children believes that texting friends counts as reading, according to the "2010 Kids and Family Reading Report" conducted by Scholastic and the Harrison Group. Children ages six to 17 were surveyed for the report, which also found that children are spending less time reading books and more time using the cell phone or Internet. Poor reading skills can impact your child's academic, professional and social life. Try these tips to help your child develop strong reading skills.
Turn Off the Television
Children living in homes where the TV is on all or most of the time are less likely to be able to read than children in homes where the TV is not on as much. Children under two years old should not watch any television, while children over age two should be limited to one to two hours daily, according to American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines.
Read ABC Books
In children's ABC, or alphabet, books, each letter of the alphabet is accompanied by a picture of an item that begins with the letter's sound, explains the Lee Pesky Learning Center in their book "Every Child Ready to Read." Your child will learn about the alphabet, which is fundamental to reading, and be exposed to new objects, places or activities.
Read Aloud with Your Child
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, reading with your child is one of the best ways to help her learn to read. Run your finger under words as you read, and stop to answer any questions your child has. Also, make it as enjoyable as possible, for instance, give characters funny voices, make animal noises and take time to explore pictures or illustrations. The AAP also suggests that you continue reading with your child even after she's learned how to read.
Take Your Child to the Library
The public library is a free way to expose your child to hundreds of children's books, which are loaded with rare words. According to the Lee Pesky Learning Center, these vocabulary words --- such as circus, chute, jungle, legend and mermaid --- are rarely used in everyday conversation, but they are important for your child to know.
Encourage Your Child to Write
Writing activities increase your child's ability to string letters together to form words and sentences, which builds reading skills. Get your child to write emails or greeting cards to extended family members, grocery lists, a daily journal or short stories.
References
- America's Promise: New Parent-Child Study Explores Views of Electronic Reading
- National Endowment for the Arts: National Endowment for the Arts Announces New Reading Study
- Kaiser Family Foundation: Zero to Six: Electronic Media in the Lives of Infants, Toddlers and
- HealthyChildren.org: Helping Your Child Learn to Read
