Notes

Tips to Improve Your Child's Reading
Anita Silvey writes in 100 Best Books for Children, "Nothing in a child's intellectual development offers more pleasure or excitement than a good book. Nothing lasts longer in memory than childhood reading experiences. And nothing ensures the success of a child more in society than being read to from infancy through adulthood."

While Silvey's statements may be true, think about children who have issues with and/or who can't stand to learn? Reading expert John Jay Pikulski said, "An extraordinary and growing body of authoritative opinion and research evidence suggests that reading failure is preventable for several but a very small percentage of children." That is very good news for parents who are annoyed by their children's inattention too books. Attitudes and reading problems usually could be corrected.

But how can parents encourage their children to read, also to grow to love doing this? And how can parents help their children who may struggle through even a single word?

Kathryn Perkinson, in an article for the U.S. Department of Education, writes that to obtain kids to love reading, you need to read aloud in their mind and encourage them to read to you. Reading aloud to children familiarizes them with language and with specific stories. Reading familiar stories, ones children love, will cause them to become try to read those stories for themselves, according to the Reading Recovery Council of North America.

Reading specialists agree that you will need to speak to your child about reading, maybe discussing a book you loved as a child or discussing the stories of famous authors or characters, such as Dr. Seuss, Lemony Snickett or Harry Potter. (In the case of Harry Potter-or any book converted to a movie-you could make a game out of asking your child to pay attention to what things differ between your book and the movie and ask her to speak about it with you when the movie ends. This will also help develop her critical thinking skills.) And don't forget to occasionally ask your son or daughter what they is reading in school, and if he understands it or wants to talk about the story or novel.

Another idea to instill a love of books and reading is to peruse the library or a bookstore with your child, letting him choose books that look interesting. If your child gets to choose the subject of the reading material, he is more likely to read. Perkinson writes of the significance of starting a house library. Children that are used to books being truly a section of their homes and their lives tend to be more apt to read, and to be better readers, than their counterparts from whom books are rare.

Another tip to improve reading are available on THE HOUSEHOLD Education Network's website ([http://www.FamilyEducation.com]) to "encourage a range of reading activities." These activities can be as simple as asking your children to read street signs and billboards, comic books or newspaper comic strips, or to play spelling games with you. The Family Education Network suggests your son or daughter will read better and more often if books along with other what to be read (magazines, comics) are kept handy, especially in the car along with other places (while waiting for appointments, in line at the supermarket, etc.) where your child might have idle time.

Though Richard Feldman, Ph.D., of Columbia University, agrees everyone should read-and he could be a speed reading expert-he emphasizes that all people should read in an effective environment. "Angling your reading material at 45 degrees improves your reading speed and reduces eye strain." Feldman also says it is crucial not to read in bed, especially for a child who is working on his reading skills. Reading during intercourse makes one more relaxed rather than as alert, and this may make it more difficult for beginning or troubled readers to really read.

Other exercises to do with your kids if they're having issues reading include teaching your child to hear the sounds in words, teaching your child to perceive and identify the letters of the alphabet, and teaching your child to recognize (or even memorize) whole words, especially ones that occur often in language. These ideas from the Reading Recovery Council of THE UNITED STATES, coupled with the tips mentioned above, will help strengthen your child's reading skills.

But the most important things to remember in helping your son or daughter become a better reader is to seek specialized help for reading issues before waiting to see if they become reading problems. As Pikulski says, most reading obstacles could be overcome and future problems prevented with the correct tools and a little work-one both your part and your child's.

Recommended Reading for More In-depth Tips (in alphabetical order):

? Improving Reading: Strategies and Resources by Jerry Johns and Susan Lanski (Kendall Hunt Publishing Co.)
? Reading Reflex: The Foolproof Phono-Graphic Way for Teaching Your Child to Read by Carmen McGuinness and Geoffrey McGuinness (Free Press)
? Reading Rescue 1-2-3: INCREASE YOUR Child's Reading Level 2 Grades with this particular Easy 3-Step Program by Peggy M. Wilber (Three Rivers Press)
? See Johnny Read!: 5 MOST RELIABLE Ways to End Your Son's Reading Problems by Tracey Wood (McGraw-Hill)

Writer, Editor and Professor Jill L. Ferguson writes on family issues for magazines nationwide. She actually is the author of the young adult novel Sometimes Art Can't Save You, together with co-author of Raise Rules for Women: Making More Money at Work and Women Are Changing the organization Landscape: Rules for Cultivating Leadership Excellence.
Here's my website: https://fortleeortho.com/what-on-earth-is-nerve-gliding-and-can-the-idea-help-with-diabetic-neuropathy-from-the-feet/