Between reading levels, phonics, reluctant readers, and trying not to make reading feel like homework, it can be hard to know what actually helps kids become confident readers.
For this month’s Local Voices, I asked Abigail Craig, Youth Services Librarian at the Springfield Public Library, five questions about raising readers — from what families can do before kids are even reading on their own to what to try when a child just isn’t interested in books.
Here’s what she had to say.
What do you wish more parents knew about helping kids become confident readers?
You can help your child build literacy skills starting at birth by making sure to talk, sing, read, write, and play with them every day. Doing this supports your child in their journey to become a reader while they are still in their pre-reading and pre-writing years. Talking and playing introduce children to many words and help them learn about the world while also developing their vocabularies. They also build their imaginations which helps with reading as they imagine, predict, ask questions, and picture things in their head. Singing and music allow us to slow down words to make them clearer and easier to hear the individual sounds, while playing with concepts like rhyming and repetition. Writing or coloring helps children build finger and hand strength that is needed for writing letters and words. Using crayons and pencils sometimes is a great idea since they need more effort to make a mark than a magic markers. Reading is a great way to teach children learn about letters, print, words, and book concepts, while building vocabulary and learning about the world. It’s also a great way to connect with children and build positive associations with reading and books.
Something for parents of young readers to remember is that it is wonderful to have kids choose their own books, to remember that all reading is good reading, and that audiobooks count as books too!
What should parents do if their child doesn’t seem interested in books?
This really depends upon the age and situation of the child, but for readers who are just reluctant to choose or pick up a book, sometimes you need to find what will spark their interest. For some reluctant readers it might be non-fiction books about something they already enjoy like videogames, particular characters from a favorite tv show or movie, or a hobby like sports, cooking, or origami. Or they might enjoy a new format like a graphic novel or magazine. A trip to the library to ask a library staff person for recommendations can be a good way to enlist help by asking an expert!
Sometimes a lack of interest could be caused by challenges that make reading difficult like dyslexia, attention or focus issues, anxiety, or something else. A struggling reader might need to be evaluated so that they can get the support they need.
Adults can try to build reading into the day in other ways like reading to kids as a regular bedtime or afternoon event or listening to audiobooks in the car. Adults can also model reading on their own, have evenings where everyone reads together in the same room, but chooses their own thing to read, or adults can try to leave interesting books around the house.
Are there simple things families can do at home that support literacy without making reading feel like homework?
Family reading time can be a great way to encourage fun reading—you can read books aloud to the whole family, or everyone can have their own things to read at the same time with phones and screens put away. Bedtime chapter book reading can be fun for everyone, and you can stop at tense moments so that everyone is excited to pick up the book the next night. You could have a family book club where you take turns choosing, reading, and discussing a book. You can play games that involve building words or reading words, like Bananagrams, Scrabble, or anything with reading or letters. You can also read the book version of a movie that is coming out soon before you go see it.
For pre-readers you can also talk, sing, read, write, and play a little every day to build those early literacy skills!
What are some common mistakes or misconceptions you see around early reading?
I wouldn’t say misconceptions, but I think it can be confusing for parents to know how to support their children when they have likely been taught reading in way that is very different from their children. There have been many schools of thought and trends over the years, and some have fallen out of favor. Currently many educators are focused on using the Science of Reading which helps learners focus on skill building step by step, learning to decode words after learning sounds and letters. The Science of Reading is great for all kinds of readers because this kind of direct instruction helps both those who are starting out, those who are on a steady progression, and those who are struggling. This is not something brand new, but a group of best practices for working with teaching reading. Parents can connect with teachers at school to see what area they can help with at home. At the library they can check out decodable books that build reading skills a step at a time read, or I Can Read levelled readers to practice with new words, or even check out a book to read themselves on the Science of Reading.
I think parents may not realize that activities as simple as talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing with their children can really make a difference. These are great building blocks, and can be combined with noticing letters and the sounds they make to build these important early skills.
What library resources or programs should Eugene/Springfield families know about this fall?
This fall we have our three weekly storytimes restarting on September 8th, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 11 a.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays are bilingual with English and Spanish, and Saturdays will sometimes also include Zapoteca.
We are newly offering a series of early literacy parent classes with Parenting Now, with six different topics. Each class is a standalone, or families can register for more than one. These are free and have free childcare. Families will get a picture book related to the theme each class. They are on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and parents must register ahead of time. Space is limited.
https://parentingnow.corsizio.com/portal/parentingnow
We will have Nurturely back with Babywearing and Bailando, which is a fun opportunity for parents with babies, or babies on the way, to come and try different ways of wearing babies while dancing to some lively music. That will be on Thursday afternoons (time to come).
We have our amazing play area which includes dramatic play, a writing/drawing/crafting area, trains, magnatiles on a light table, puppets and a theater, a dollhouse, and many games and activities. We also have a space just for families with babies. Hanging out at the library with books and all of these fun activities is a great way to talk, sing, read, write, and play with your children!
Households with children 0-18 who live within the Springfield school district can get a free card regardless of address.
Local Voices is a monthly Macaroni KID Eugene/Springfield feature highlighting people in our community who have useful information, experience, and perspective to share with local families.
