The Power Of Reading

The importance of a reading habit, tips and advice

Date : 22/03/2020

Author Information

Uploaded by : Joe
Uploaded on : 22/03/2020
Subject : English

Eaton House The Manor

The Power of Reading

Today a reader, tomorrow a leader. Margaret Fuller
If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads. Ralph Waldo Emerson
The list of quotes about the power of reading is seemingly endless. The vast majority come from published authors, who universally attribute their own success to their depth and breadth of reading. The importance of regular reading cannot be overstated. Time and again, educational research suggests that children who read outstrip those who don t in almost every single area of their education. Children who read frequently are more empathetic, have a wider vocabulary, better text comprehension, grammar, general knowledge and more accurate spelling. Strangely, frequent reading has even been linked to better attainment in mathematics, where there is often a surprisingly high reading level in word problems. However, recognising these facts is only half the battle. Instilling a love of reading is where the challenge lies and it is not always straight-forward. It is somewhat understandable that with the pressure to secure senior school entry, focus can shift towards entrance exams. However, as the foundation of all learning, reading simply cannot be neglected. At a recent conference, the Head of English from a top senior school placed the willingness to read widely as the number one attribute they seek in preparatory school children. The holy grail is to develop ambitious, confident and committed readers. But until that point arises, the boys might just need a more forceful nudge. They might not recognize the importance of reading now but we, parents and teachers, do and the boys will thanks us one day perhaps! In the meantime, below is a list of tips to encourage a positive reading habit.

How to help younger children develop a love of reading:
Read with them every day, checking their comprehension of difficult words and discussing the story and the behaviour of the characters. Take your children to the public library and encourage them to choose a bagful of books to enjoy at home. Grit your teeth and endure the old favourites time and time again - this seemingly inane repetition teaches children about the rhythms of language and develops memory, vocabulary and, often, a deep affection for what they are hearing. How to help older children develop their love of reading:

Set aside time during the day, particularly in holiday time, when electronics and television are not an option, but when reading is allowed.
Continue trips to the local library and encourage engagement with reading schemes such as library or school reading challenges
Give books (or book tokens) for presents at birthdays or Christmas. Help your child to build up his own collection of the classics. Though they might not read these when young, they ll return to them, as treasured gifts, at some stage. Give poetry books as well as prose.
Use the Readers who bought this also liked function on websites such as Amazon to encourage children to start building the bedside table pile of books through which to work.
Ban television and electronics, but not books, from the bedroom, and turn a blind eye to extended bedtimes, if reading is the cause. Your child will sleep much better for this, and your unpopularity shouldn t last long!

This resource was uploaded by: Joe