Along this week we have been working in class with many reading resources for literature that we can use in our future career as English/ bilingual teachers: Jazz chants, finger plays, storytelling, us as readers (reading map)… And I would like to talk about this issue because when I was in the library and I bumped into a panting saying: ‘If you read, they (children) read’. So I started thinking what my motivation was for reading when I was a child, and what and how people motivated me to read. Thus, I would like to explain from my experience what the advantages of reading are and why we should encourage children to read.
Unfortunately, the school I assisted when I was a child (6 years old more or less) was not so motivated about encouraging reading. I don’t remember much my teachers encouraging me or my classmates to read, and I haven’t been so influenced to read in the school during this time. Fortunately, my parents were in charge of my developing in reading because they thought (and still thinking it) that reading can only have benefits. I used to go every week to the library, or to buy books, even my family gave me books on my birthday/ Christmas… I have always had a book to read on my shelving, when I grew up I had no space to put my books. On the contrary, I remember being sometimes lazy when reading but people around me encouraged me and they read with me, talking, sharing and reading out loud, etc… And now I realized about the reasons of reading and how important is.
On language class (lengua) in my first practicum time in Spain, children could read after have finished their tasks/homework of the class, or the teacher left time in a whole class to read. I think this is perfect, because it fosters reading and children think reading is important. In contrast, during my practicum in Ireland I was impressed about the motivation and encouragement teachers gave to the reading. Children had to read every day their own book and the next day they had to tell the whole class what they read and what happened in the book/ chapter of the previous day. As well, they went to the library almost every day, so children spent reading at least 1/2 hour per day.
I find this very interesting to do it here, and after this, I would like to give some tips to encourage children for reading gathering my experience, and as I have seen about which should be ideal for reading :
- Use children interests/ hobbies to read. For example, if a child likes animals, give him an animal book. He may like more rather than a topic he doesn’t like, obviously.
- Leave around children available books, colourful and interesting magazines to read.
- Take children to the library regularly. Children will love to go there, and do extraordinary things!
- Encourage older students to read to younger ones. The youngest see the oldest as a model to follow. Children will love receive in the class new classmates.
- Invite parents/ grandparents to the school.
- Enjoy reading, and be a model to follow for our future students J
I am going to leave you interesting links/ideas for fostering reading:
http://brandongaille.com/list-32-good-reading-slogans-for-children/
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/tips-encouraging-kids-read
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1oOrwmhVC8
(*This post is a mix of the different types that a blog may include: Self-selected response (SSR), Class-related response (CRR).)
Bibliography
http://brandongaille.com/list-32-good-reading-slogans-for-children/
Hi Bea!
First of all I want to say that when I read your entry I was really surprised by all the things we have in common! For example the fact that our families were the people who most encourage us to read, books as birthday or Christmas presents during all my life, the lazy period in which you did not feel very motivated to read, the experience at an Irish school…
However, something that we do not share is the fact of not having teachers at school which encourage the habit of reading between their pupils. Actually, my experience was that, because my teacher loved reading she was able to transmit that love to us. Maybe someone can consider this to be a fact without much relevance. Nevertheless, after reading some of your sentences, such as the one in which you explained how important were for you the people who encouraged you to read when you felt a little bit lazy, or the last of your tips in which you hearten teachers to become good reading models, I reaffirmed the idea that it is essential. In fact, its importance resides in the relevance that models (something that you mentioned in one of your last sentences) have for children.
Taking that into account, and going a little bit deeper, I strongly belief that although parents and teachers are going to be really important, they are not going to be the unique models or references that pupils will have during their life in general and their childhood in particular. The whole society is going to have a big influence on children too. Because of that, and considering all the multiple benefits that reading has, everyone should be concerned about all those benefits, and assume their responsibility of furtherance reading habits between the smallest ones.
Ouch! I almost forgot it! Thank you very much for your tips and the links that you provided