Friday, February 22, 2008

Young Readers


If your children are not interested in reading or always on the move and cant sit still, never stop trying. Keep developing a good foundation for early literacy skills for your children.

Continue reading as he or she may still be listening. Get their attention by pointing out the pictures or making funny noises. Point out the picture and explain not only what the picture is but try to add more description to the picture. Example, if it is a picture of a rabbit, explain to your child that the rabbit is white in colour and it hops around.

Reading should be treated as a fun activity for children. So, do not spell out the words to them, it is a boring exercise for them. Reading should be a happy, shared experience between you and your child.

Try making reading session enjoyable for them by varying tones or pitches to your voice. Another tip is to let your child choose the books he or she wants to read. It doesn’t matter if he or she chooses the same books everyday. The point here is to develop their interest in reading. Slowly introduce other books with similar themes to extend their interests.

Some children can recognize words at an early age, but most children only developmentally ready to read by the age of 5. So remember this, do not pressure them at young age. They will be ready when the time comes. Just make reading a fun time and they will enjoy and look forward to it

4 comments:

Nick Phillips (15/03/1967 - 04/11/2022) said...

Actually I find the kids these days have no interest in reading whatsoever, and sad to say my kids fall in the same category.

This reading thing should be instilled from a very young age so that when they're older, they would show more interest in books rather than TV or the computer.

Rose world said...

Nick, yes, must instil in them at a young age. Thank god that my little gal loves books (those picture books), but now she is slowly into movie and cartoons. I was a bit worry now, but i guess once a while indulge in tv is fine.

Agnes said...

hi Rose
My son start develop reading skill after he came to study here in KGI. I found that teacher at International school encourage students spent more time on study instead of doing homework.
Before he come here i have enrolled him to a class in JB. They teach him a lot of things but i can see that he can't pick up anything from there.

The most important thing for kids to learn on his age of 3 or 4 is to play the flash card with them let them recognise the baisc ABC or 123. Beside that you can read to him every day but not asking him to understand just read as to built the interest on reading on him.
So, i can see that after my son study in KGI here he pick up lots of words in English. The teacher will give them 3 news vocabulary each weeks to learn and a simple story book to read. These story books which consist of only 3 words and the words are repeat every page.
I can see now my son love to read and remember the words easily. I should said the teaching method in Malaysia is totally different from here. I never come across the teacher in KG will let the children bring a story book home to read which they do practice here every week. That is a way the teacher encourage the kids to read.

Rose world said...

Agnes, this is interesting! I mean the KGI's way of instill learning! I am thinking of sending my little gal to playschool soon, maybe when she is 2 or 2.5 years old. Hopefully she will learn more there than at babysitter/at home. I know I dont have the time to teach her anyway!

Thanks for sharing!