Perhaps the teenagers in your family were once avid readers but now hardly ever open a book, or perhaps they never liked reading in the first place.
As an adult, you know that reading is important and you obviously want to make sure that the teenagers in your life grow into adulthood with all the skills they need to succeed.
In this article, RIF suggests how parents can help teenagers decide for themselves that reading is important to their lives.
Try to avoid...
Before we list ways to encourage teen reading that work, here are a few tactics that don't:
Pressuring, nagging, or bribing. Encourage teens to read, but don't hound them.
Criticizing what teens read. Explain what troubles you about certain types of reading materials after reading them yourself. Forbid as little as possible. And whenever you can, accept differences of opinion as just that.
Lavishing too much praise. If you catch your teenagers reading, show interest, but don't make a big deal out of it. Teens need to know that they're reading for their own pleasure—not for your approval.
Ways to encourage teens to read...
Set an example. Let teens see you reading for pleasure.
Furnish your home with a variety of reading materials. Leave books, magazines, and newspapers around. Check to see what disappears for a clue to what interests your teenager.
Give teens an opportunity to choose their own books. When you and your teen are out together, browse in a bookstore or library. Go your separate ways and make your own selections. A bookstore gift certificate is a nice way of saying, "You choose."
Build on your teen's interests. Look for books and articles that feature their favorite sports teams, rock stars, hobbies, or television shows. Give a gift subscription to a special interest magazine.
View pleasure reading as a value in itself. Almost anything your youngsters read—including the Sunday comics—helps build reading skills.
Read some books written for teens. Young adult novels can give you valuable insights into the concerns and pressures felt by teenagers. You may find that these books provide a neutral ground on which to talk about sensitive subjects.
Make reading aloud a natural part of family life. Share an article you clipped from the paper, a poem, a letter, or a random page from an encyclopedia—without turning it into a lesson.
Acknowledge your teen's mature interests. Look for ways to acknowledge the emerging adult in your teens by suggesting some adult reading you think they can handle.
Keep the big picture in mind. For all sorts of reasons, some teenagers go through periods without showing much interest in reading. Don't panic! Time, and a few tips from this article, may help rekindle their interest.
Talking to teens about reading...
Adults know how important it is for their teenagers to read. Reading is not just important while teens are in school; good reading skills are essential to future success in the workplace. But making a pitch for reading can be a real challenge. If you are the parent of a teenager who has lost interest in reading or never liked it much, here are some suggestions for connecting with your child about books and reading.
What's in it for your teen? Through reading they can:
Become an expert. An expert on any subject they like—from sports stats to spelunking, coins to carburetors, or anything in between.
Live dangerously. Through reading teens can share the challenges, fears, thrills, and achievements of those they are reading about without the risk.
Have a few laughs. Many teens will enjoy sitting down with a book by their favorite stand-up comedian, a collection of jokes or cartoons, or a humor magazine.
See the world. Without leaving their room, teens can visit places that fascinate them.
Travel through time. Historical fiction and science fiction move a reader back and forth in time.
Use their brains. Teens may enjoy solving a mystery by figuring out whodunit, outwitting a crafty villain, or thinking through a perilous situation.
Get some free advice. Lots of novels feature teenage characters who have problems and pressures similar to those your teenage may be dealing with.
Discover new interests. Through reading, teens may develop an interest in something they knew nothing about before.
Find a cause. Teens can get smart on an issue that matters to them.
Escape. Teens can escape noise, tension, or boredom by escaping into a book.
Helping teens find books that interest them...
What they say is true: the more you read, the better you read. In other words, stepping up the reading you do for yourself will make other reading tasks less of a chore. Here are some ideas parents can share with their teens to find the kinds of books that will most interest them:
Decide what you're in the mood for. High adventure? Romance? Perhaps you enjoyed a recent movie or TV miniseries; chances are it was based on a book you'd enjoy also.
Ask around. Ask friends, a favorite teacher, or your coach to suggest books they enjoyed.
Check out the library. It won't cost you anything, and the choices are virtually unlimited. Don't be shy about asking a librarian a question like, "Do you have any books on rock music?"
Browse in a bookstore. Find the section that interests you—fantasy, cars, computers, or whatever. Treat yourself to an inexpensive paperback, or just have a look around.
Consult a list of books other teenagers have enjoyed. Ask for a book list at your school or public library.
Don't judge a book by its cover. What you see on the cover is not necessarily what you get. Read the short reviews printed inside a dust jacket, or skim the first chapter to find out what a book is really about.
Try a few pages. If the books not for you, put it aside and try another, until you find a winner.
Read at your own pace. Reading isn't a contest. So what if you read slowly or skip words here and there? If you're interested, you'll read to the end, and that's what counts. And you'll probably find yourself picking up speed along the way.
Let one good thing lead to another. When you read something that really speaks to you, you may be sorry to have it end. But the end is never really the end for a person who reads. You can always open another book, and another, and another.
Source: RIF Parent Guide Brochure
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.(Proverbs 3: 13-18)
DIVINE CARNATION
- Education For All
- I am creative, outgoing and love nature. I am at the top of it all and I know who got me there. My daily Prayer to the Most High God is-- "Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!"
Welcome
Greetings from The Commonwealth of Dominica.
Dominica is The Nature Ilse of the Caribbean.
Simply natural, green and alive.
The Commonwealth of Dominica is an island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago. It is the largest and most mountainous of the Windward Islands, with volcanic peaks, mountain streams and rivers, beachesof both black (volcanic) and golden sands, dense forests, quietlakes, waterfalls, geysers and boiling volcanic pools.Dominica is a major eco-tourist destination.
The island, which was originally occupied by Carib Indians(some of whose descendants remain), was discovered by Columbus in 1493 and colonised by the French in the 1600s. In 1805, the island became a British possession and remained under British rule until 1967, when internal self-government was granted, followed by full independence in1978.
The Capital of The Commonwealth of Dominica is Roseau. The official language of Dominica is English. A French patois Creole is spoken by most persons on the island.
The island, which was originally occupied by Carib Indians(some of whose descendants remain), was discovered by Columbus in 1493 and colonised by the French in the 1600s. In 1805, the island became a British possession and remained under British rule until 1967, when internal self-government was granted, followed by full independence in1978.
The Capital of The Commonwealth of Dominica is Roseau. The official language of Dominica is English. A French patois Creole is spoken by most persons on the island.
The Commonwealth of Dominica became an independent state on November 3rd 1978.
The flag of The Commonwealth of Dominica is
Green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side),black, and white and the horizontal part isyellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing aSisserou parrot encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes).
Dominica Coat of Arms
The shield is supported by two Sisserou parrots (Amazona imperialis). They are perched on a strip of parchment on which is written in Creole, the national motto: "Apres Bondie C’est La Ter". In the established form accepted by Creole linguists today it would be written: "Apwe Bondye Se La Te." It means, "After God it is the Land". However "La Te" can be translated to mean, the land, the Earth or the soil. But the message of the motto for the people of a mainly agricultural island is that after praising God first, the next most important thing is the land in the form of bearing fruit. It can also be extended to mean the land in the nationalist sense that after your commitment to God then comes your commitment to your country. The use of Creole represents also the influence of France on the island and the part played by African traditions and language in the creation of the Creole heritage.
Dominica
Nature Island
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Getting Your Child to Love Reading
Helping your children enjoy reading is one of the most important things you can do as a parent and it's well worth the investment of your time and energy.
Kids will learn reading skills in school, but often they come to associate reading with work, not pleasure. As a result, they lose their desire to read. And it is that desire—the curiosity and interest—that is the cornerstone to using reading and related skills successfully.
By far the most effective way to encourage your children to love books and reading is to read aloud to them, and the earlier you start, the better. Even a baby of a few months can see pictures, listen to your voice, and turn cardboard pages.
Make this time together a special time when you hold your kids and share the pleasure of a story without the distractions of TV or telephones. You may be surprised to find that a well-written children's book is often as big a delight to you as it is to the kids.
And don't stop taking the time to read aloud once your children have learned to read for themselves. At this stage, encourage them to read to you some of the time. This shared enjoyment will continue to strengthen your children's interest and appreciation.
Simply having books, magazines, and newspapers around your home will help children view them as part of daily life. And your example of reading frequently and enjoying it will reinforce that view.
While your children are still very small, it's a good idea to start a home library for them, even if it's just a shelf or two. Be sure to keep some books for little children to handle freely.
Include specially made, extra-durable books for infants, and pick paperbacks and plastic covers for kids who are older but still not quite ready for expensive hardbacks. Allowing little children to touch, smell, and even taste books will help them develop strong attachments.
How you handle books will eventually influence how your kids treat them. Children imitate, so if they see that you enjoy reading and treat books gently and with respect, it is likely that they will do the same.
When you read aloud together, choose books that you both like. If a book seems dull, put it down and find one that is appealing. There are, however, so many children's books in print that making the best selections may seem a formidable task.
One approach is to look for award-winning books. There are two famous awards for children's literature made each year by the American Library Association that are good indicators of quality work: the Caldecott Medal for illustration and the Newbery Medal for writing. But these are given to only two of the approximately 2,500 new children's books published each year.
Fortunately, there is a lot of other good help available. For instance, there are lists of books recommended by the American Library Association and the Library of Congress, as well as some excellent books to guide parents in making selections.
The best help of all, though, is at your neighborhood library. If you are not familiar with the library, don't hesitate to ask for help. The children's librarian is trained to help you locate specific books, books that are good for reading aloud, and books on a particular subject recommended for a particular age group.
The library also has many book lists, including ones like those mentioned above and probably some published by the library itself.
In addition, your library will have several journals that regularly review children's books, including the Horn Book and Booklist. These will give you an idea of what's new and worth pursuing.
And there's nothing like just browsing through the many books available at your library until you find ones that appeal to you and your kids.
If your children are school-aged, keep in mind that the school library is an excellent source for a wide variety of materials and the school librarian is knowledgeable about children's literature. Encourage your kids to bring home books from their school library for pleasure as well as for their studies.
Author: Kathryn Perkinson
Source: U.S. Department of Education
Kids will learn reading skills in school, but often they come to associate reading with work, not pleasure. As a result, they lose their desire to read. And it is that desire—the curiosity and interest—that is the cornerstone to using reading and related skills successfully.
By far the most effective way to encourage your children to love books and reading is to read aloud to them, and the earlier you start, the better. Even a baby of a few months can see pictures, listen to your voice, and turn cardboard pages.
Make this time together a special time when you hold your kids and share the pleasure of a story without the distractions of TV or telephones. You may be surprised to find that a well-written children's book is often as big a delight to you as it is to the kids.
And don't stop taking the time to read aloud once your children have learned to read for themselves. At this stage, encourage them to read to you some of the time. This shared enjoyment will continue to strengthen your children's interest and appreciation.
Simply having books, magazines, and newspapers around your home will help children view them as part of daily life. And your example of reading frequently and enjoying it will reinforce that view.
While your children are still very small, it's a good idea to start a home library for them, even if it's just a shelf or two. Be sure to keep some books for little children to handle freely.
Include specially made, extra-durable books for infants, and pick paperbacks and plastic covers for kids who are older but still not quite ready for expensive hardbacks. Allowing little children to touch, smell, and even taste books will help them develop strong attachments.
How you handle books will eventually influence how your kids treat them. Children imitate, so if they see that you enjoy reading and treat books gently and with respect, it is likely that they will do the same.
When you read aloud together, choose books that you both like. If a book seems dull, put it down and find one that is appealing. There are, however, so many children's books in print that making the best selections may seem a formidable task.
One approach is to look for award-winning books. There are two famous awards for children's literature made each year by the American Library Association that are good indicators of quality work: the Caldecott Medal for illustration and the Newbery Medal for writing. But these are given to only two of the approximately 2,500 new children's books published each year.
Fortunately, there is a lot of other good help available. For instance, there are lists of books recommended by the American Library Association and the Library of Congress, as well as some excellent books to guide parents in making selections.
The best help of all, though, is at your neighborhood library. If you are not familiar with the library, don't hesitate to ask for help. The children's librarian is trained to help you locate specific books, books that are good for reading aloud, and books on a particular subject recommended for a particular age group.
The library also has many book lists, including ones like those mentioned above and probably some published by the library itself.
In addition, your library will have several journals that regularly review children's books, including the Horn Book and Booklist. These will give you an idea of what's new and worth pursuing.
And there's nothing like just browsing through the many books available at your library until you find ones that appeal to you and your kids.
If your children are school-aged, keep in mind that the school library is an excellent source for a wide variety of materials and the school librarian is knowledgeable about children's literature. Encourage your kids to bring home books from their school library for pleasure as well as for their studies.
Author: Kathryn Perkinson
Source: U.S. Department of Education
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