4 Tips for inculcating good reading habits in kids

At Speechify, we frequently encounter parents who are keen on spoken English lessons for their kids. Online English speaking classes for kids not only focus on spoken English fluency but also English writing, English grammar and vocabulary building.

Many parents also invest in online English courses in India for the better learning rapport that is observed between the child and their online spoken English tutor. Kids being home bound in this pandemic, having a spoken English tutor for that one study hour is a great refresher and motivates them in their lessons.

When it comes to English speaking lessons for kids, the number one recommendation that we as an on online English communication course offer is to inculcate the golden habit of reading books. Children get fluent in their mother tongues and learn even other languages by the age groups of 4 to 7 years on an average. They may not be grammatically proficient but learning by mimicking native speakers is quicker at a young age. Language fluency at any age depends on two primary factors - consistent practice and great vocabulary.

Reading is a great habit that offers several advantages and is not only limited to language fluency:

• Reading expands our knowledge on different topics and subjects, offers us a plethora of insights and information which an otherwise small social circle may never provide.
• Reading improves our cognitive functioning since it is an excellent mental activity.
• Reading improves our vocabulary. We have already discussed how a great vocabulary is fundamental towards language fluency.
• Reading fuels our creative energy and imagination. The world of books especially the genre of fiction, fantasies, poetry etc are wonderful ways to explore the writer’s creative genius.
• Reading helps us increase our concentration levels since it enables us to focus on meticulous tasks for longer spans of time
• Reading improves the quality of our conversations since we have so many topics to discuss. Reader’s club, book exchange forums etc are several online/offline events where you can meet like-minded people and make friends.
• Reading keeps us in a great mood. Studies show that reading helps keep mental illnesses like anxiety, depression at bay! It even improves our sleep quality which is critical for our overall well being.

These benefits are observed in readers at any age they choose to explore the world of books and nurture their hobby of reading. And hence the benefits will be long term if we introduce these at a young age.

So, lets learn 4 simple ways in which parents can inculcate reading as a thriving hobby for their kids

• Do it everyday!- At Speechify, we advocate if not daily but consistent spoken English practice to learn English fluency through our online lessons. Repetition in the form of daily practice is essential for cultivating good learning habits and the same applies towards reading. Parents can read different genre of books to their kids- You can actually plan out different books for each day or a storybook for each month. Reserve specific times in the day to do this. You can start slow in the form of bedtime stories and then gradually introduce books in the day time.

• Lead by example- Children imbibe our habits, both good ones and even our bad behaviours. If you want your child to read, you will have to exemplify through action. Start slowly by reading along with them. Read aloud a book, get creative with voice overs, accents and impressions. If that’s too much for you, simply focus on enunciations around phonetics and homophones. Introduce fun sounds or read out rhyme schemes to them. Encourage them for elocution performances and create an environment where they can experiment as much as possible.

• Make it alot of fun- Reading as an activity should not be restricted to only books. Allow healthy overlap in the form of screen time to reinforce book reading. Movies based on books like the Harry Potter series, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit etc are a great way to introduce kids to the world of imagination. A visual treat that will further reinforce reading as a hobby in the long term. Another way to foster children’s creative learning process is through word games like scrabble or playing Pictionary or simply encouraging them to present drama performances of the stories they have read.

• Establish it as an activity- Once children are introduced to the world of books, say a few weeks, make reading books an important activity time. Reserve a reading corner for them which has sufficient light and air. Indulge them in book shopping like a small visit to the library or a book store. Introduce them to fun stationary like sticky notes to mark lines in a book they felt were important or loved reading. Encourage them to have either own portable dictionary to learn the meanings of new words they come across.

As parents we know that kids will require patience and hand holding to learn new things. Regular encouragement, respecting their moods and indulging them for smaller victories will help to keep their motivation levels up.

However, some kids do not enjoy reading or any activity that involves sitting still for a considerable time. In such cases, introduce activities that synergise with your child’s learning motivation.  Reading through a kindle or learning through a cartoon show are some ways we can begin with. But start when they are young. Start small and persevere, just so that we can nudge them patiently in the right direction!

What other ways do you enable your child or spouse or friend to inculcate reading as a daily ritual or hobby? We would love to hear from you!

Related article: https://www.speechify.in/en/blog/english-learning-for-kids-7-easy-tips-for-parents