One of the most important things you must do as a parent is to develop your child’s reading skills. This way, you will be able to positively influence your child’s intellectual and emotional development and well-being.
In fact, if you develop your child’s independent reading skills, you will be able to set your child up for success. This is because your child’s academic success depends a lot on their literacy and ability to comprehend what is on the page. As a result, they will thrive both in school and in life.
Read on to get a better idea of how to develop your child’s reading skills in a few ways.
Essential Steps to Improve Reading Skills in Your Child
If you want your child to develop cognitive skills early on, reading must be pleasurable. In fact, children who read more often are more progressive in vocabulary, spelling, and maths. Hence, one of the first things you must do as a parent to improve your child’s reading ability is to let your child take a phonics class.
The following are the most important steps you must take to improve reading skills in your child:
1. Establish a Daily Routine
If you set aside a dedicated time for each day to teach your child how to read, your child’s reading ability will improve significantly. In fact, it might be as simple as a bedtime story. Also, you must enable your child to take turns in reading.
As time passes, you must try to shift the responsibility of reading on to your child. However, ensure that your child reads at their own pace.
2. Always Keep Books Within Your Child’s Reach
If books are available, your child will read more. In fact, a great way to achieve it is to stack books high at every corner of the house. Hence, your child will discover it, fling it open, and enjoy it. In general, both children and adults do best when books are available at their fingertips.
However, if you are unable to do it, you might encourage digital reading. This way, you are allowing them to indulge in their curiosity.
3. Help Your Child Find Favorite Books
You will unlock the joy of reading in your child if you help your child discover the right genre or books. For instance, many children like fantasies, adventure stories, science fiction, fairy tales, and mysteries.
Basically, you must allow your child to read whatever interests them. This way, they will be able to work on their interests and curiosities and enjoy the process of reading.
4. Enable Your Child to Read a Variety of Books and Reading Materials
If your child has access to a wide variety of books, their enjoyment of reading will increase significantly. Apart from that, ensure your child’s reading is not limited to books only. In fact, enable your child to read the newspaper, magazines, comic books, and more.
When it comes to reading, every word counts, as your goal is to develop the practice of reading in your child. Meanwhile, take essential steps to track your child’s reading progress.
5. Be an Example
Whatever you do, your child will try to imitate. Primarily, it is one of the most common ways children learn anything in their early years. Hence, you must never underestimate your power as a role model.
In fact, if your child sees you always reading, your child will also imitate you. Also, if they see that you read rather than watch television, they will learn that reading is more joyful.
6. Allow Your Child to Be Different
Never compare your child with other children of a similar age. For instance, you might see another child reading a lot of classic literature and history, while your child loves comic books. It does not mean that your child is behind. Everything has a time, and give your child the necessary time to develop their reading skills.
The Way Forward
Developing reading skills is a lifelong process. Hence, your job is to support your child throughout the long-term reading process. Basically, the goal is to develop the love of reading in your child and not read out of fear or compulsion.
Do you have more suggestions on how to develop reading skills in children? Please share your ideas and opinions in the comments section below.
