The
Power of Books
One of
my favorite phrases is, “Knowledge is power”!
There is no better way to acquire knowledge than through the skill of
reading books. Many young children love
hearing stories although they find reading the books frustrating and difficult
at times. What can an adult do to help
children learn to love reading?
First,
help the child to find a topic that is interesting and motivating to them. The more interested and invested in the topic,
the more likely he/she will put in the effort to read the information.
Next,
provide time to sit with the child and have them read the information to
you. Even though I feel I know a lot of
information about cars, dinosaurs, and the weather, there is always something
new and interesting to learn. I am all
about sitting with a cup of tea and learning from my child, especially after a
hectic day at the office.
For
younger children who may not know how to read yet, have him/her look at the
pictures in the book and “tell the story”.
Let their imagination visit faraway lands and problem-solve
conflicts. There have been many trips to
the moon via a space car as we visit with alien friends. We never know if there is enough fuel or
clothes packed for the trip until the story is complete.
Finally,
to help your child comprehend the information they are reading, ask questions
about what you heard. It helps to use
open-ended questions where the child has to explain the information instead of
just providing a yes or no answer.
As
your child grows and their reading skills increase, infinite “powers” will be
acquired and chances are you will be viewed as a superhero!
