January 14, 2021
With a bit more time at home, and perhaps the gift of a new book over the holidays, it’s a great time for your child to develop their reading habits at home. For some children, it is natural to pick up a book during down time, but for many it is not. Your child is asked to read at least twenty minutes a night for many reasons: to develop a broad vocabulary, see words in context spelled correctly, read a variety of genres and text structures, increase comprehension skills, and increase oral and silent reading fluency.
The first good habit is to find a good reading spot. Where does your child enjoy reading the most? It may be in bed with a soft light, or lying on the floor in bright light. While reading can be done almost anywhere, having a special spot at home increases the enjoyment and importance.
Next, find a good time of day to build into your routine. While many people read before they go to sleep, there are certainly other great times to read. For young children, during car rides is a nice time to read. Keep a basket of books next to the car seat. You’ll be surprised how often the books come out of the basket when there is not much else to do! Listen to your child read aloud to you while prepping dinner or doing dishes. And of course, a snuggle on the couch with books is a great way to spend the evening.
Last, aim to build your child’s reading stamina. Focusing on what you are reading is a skill that can be practiced and strengthened. Over the course of a school year, students are able to read independently for longer periods of time. This increased time allows the opportunity to practice specific comprehension skills taught in school, such as character traits, story structure, and theme.
For access to a wider variety of books, make use of TDS’ growing school library and your public library. In addition, some stores in the area such as Flyleaf Books and Beanstalk have good used book collections. Your child also has access to online books through Literacy Pro and Epic. For guidance, check Brightly and Common Sense Media websites. Your child’s teacher, TDS librarian Jenn Phillips, and I are also more than happy to recommend authors, genres, and series that your child may enjoy.
Happy Reading!
Jenny Howell
Literacy Specialist
