The skill of reading develops slowly from the time a person is born until they become an adult. Enjoyment of reading is not a phenomenon, but a process, and many educators seem to miss this. It is the guardians, the teachers, and the children themselves who play an important role in the development of reading skills and further enjoyment from this activity. There are a number of specific tactics that can be used to teach children to read so that they will enjoy the process in the future.
First, the role of caregivers and parents in developing a child’s passion for reading should be noted. A guardian who is an avid reader will most likely read stories and religious narrations to their children. Children, just like mature people, love stories, and if the child listens to one good story today, they will want another tomorrow (Satriani 12). This goes on until the child realizes that they will not always have someone to read for them. Most children develop their love for reading this way.
Secondly, pictures in books can serve as a basis for a child’s growing love of reading. It can be noted that most children love the stories to be accompanied by visual representations. To make sure that the child is receiving the necessary information, it is important to ensure a few remarks under the picture explaining what the illustration represents. Simple language and vibrancy are the main features that authors of children’s books use to develop a child’s love for reading. Most children develop a love for reading in an attempt to decipher what the picture caption says. Having a person who can help the children read also serves as a great motivation for them to keep learning.
Another interesting aspect of how children develop an interest in reading is the way they interact with books. Children develop reading habits faster if they have a wide range of books to choose from. This should serve as a caution for guardians who like to micro-manage their children on all they do as it will not generate a genuine, unnegotiated desire for the child to read. If the guardians really want to develop the passion for reading, then children should be let read what they want. Moreover, most children are likely to develop such interest if they notice that they have a person who is there to listen to them read (Court 18). With a listener who also performs the role of a teacher, the children will try their best to impress them, and thus the enjoyment of reading will be catalyzed. The child could also read to their peers, and if they realize they are as good or better than their peers, their pleasure of reading may sufficiently increase.
One more way in which a child develops the love for reading is if they have a relaxing, serene environment without any disruptions such as television and video games. An outside environment seems the most convenient, as children will be able to make as much noise as they want, something which is difficult to do in the library or the study room settings (Bento and Dias 157). The love for reading in a child could also be enhanced by placing the books in a strategic location and are easily available for the child.
In conclusion, it seems necessary to mention imitation as an important element of learning. Most children who have parents or guardians who are readers are also likely to develop a love for reading. This is because mirroring is usually a very powerful persuasion technic used by many either cautiously or without even knowing. Children will develop a love for reading if they notice that those around them also love to read. It can be said that parents that read are most likely to bring up children that read too. Thus, the process of developing an interest in reading includes several aspects that can be built into a single methodology.
Works Cited
Bento, Gabriela, and Gisela Dias. “The importance of outdoor play for young children’s healthy development.” Porto Biomedical Journal, vol. 2, no. 5, 2017, pp. 157–160. Web.
Court, Joy. Reading by right: Successful strategies to ensure every child can read to succeed. Facet Publishing, 2017.
Satriani, Intan. “Storytelling in teaching literacy: Benefits and challenges.” English Review: Journal of English Education, vol. 8, no. 1, 2019. Web.