Daily Archives: August 26, 2009

I WOULD RATHER GET A FILLING!!!! Or what to do when faced with a reluctant reader

You may wonder…why “mylibrarycardworeout”? Well, in a nutshell because of extreme use – as this card owner is a voracious reader. That is, when engrossed in a good book will pretend to be asleep in the morning to snatch reading time, uses books as the preferred companion on short, long and in between car trips (not forgetting planes), borrows armloads of books from the library not necessarily to read but become acquainted with and will often disappear quietly into books of all sizes and descriptions. It is a joy to see such love for the printed word in this age of instant everything, and electronic whatnots when the newest gadgets are the rage, and texting is taking the place of conversation.

So the question for parents is how do you raise a reader? With the onslaught of electronic media how does the old world printed word compete? I won’t go into the discussion of the benefits of reading, as there are exhaustive studies, articles and books on the subject all basically saying that reading is IMPORTANT. Essential for educational progress (can’t forget those tests). Book lovers know that a world without books is like a life without joy, sunshine, happiness and nothing makes you happier than a good book, a quiet spot and a world waiting to unfold in front of you.  Through books you learn about the world, yourself and stretch the reaches of your mind. To give this gift to a child is one of the most essential things we need to do as parents. And in order to do this you have to be able to read. With ease and speed and comprehension.

But what if you find yourself with a child who hasn’t discovered the love of reading? Who struggles with it and ends up frustrated, resentful or angry? First you have to rule out any learning difficulties, vision problems or social issues (at home or school). The earliest this is picked up and identified the better for the child. However, there are many children who just fall through the cracks and struggle to read. They build up fear and anxiety, often trying to mask it and do whatever they can to avoid detection. Playing catch up is difficult as age moves them away from the easier books for emergent readers. Finding suitable books is essential, undoing frustration isn’t easy. Many of these reluctant readers are boys, moving into adolescence and pulling out an easy read that is rewarding and not belittling can be a challenge. Finding the right material is tricky. Having the right approach is also. How to do it? Read on and find some suggestions.