One of the most challenging tasks for any parent is motivating their high school kid to obtain a passion for reading. Kids and books never go hand in hand. In fact, kids fall asleep sooner to an open book than an actual lullaby.
But thankfully, there are ways to effectively make kids, irrespective of their age, obtain a passion for reading. There are many smart ways of making reading engaging and entertaining for your kids.
In this blog, we will share with you time-tested and intelligent guidelines to help your kid understand and identify the printed words in an effective and efficient manner.
1- Don’t stick to one specific genre
Take your kids to book shopping. This is the first step to making your high school kid get familiar with a myriad of different genres other than school books he/she is familiar with.
Bookstores have rows of shelves arranged with books of various genres. From picture books to cookbooks, biographies, graphic novels and more, the options are endless.
If your kid is inquisitive, you can pick “how-to” books that encourage an immense sense of reading. For instance, a joke book can quickly become your kid’s favourite pastime that will motivate him/her to read and even keep him/her in good spirits.
2- Use examples to make your high school kid engaged in reading
As a parent, you can play a huge role in your kid’s life, especially in his/her academic life. You may be aware of your kid’s interests, so go book shopping or visit your local libraries to handpick a few storybooks. You can read these books out loud to them at night or schedule a story session at a particular time of the day.
Use a trick of invoking curiosity by reading the first chapter out loud and then stop reading completely. This way, your Indian international school kid may want to know what happens next and might pick the book on his/her own to start the reading without being asked to.
3- Use technology for good
Virtual book clubs are becoming popular for all good reasons. More and more schools are establishing such programs to help kids get involved in extracurricular activities.
The best thing about these programs is that they help kids get connected with various authors throughout the globe through skype and zoom calls. These technology-driven interactions help kids experience the real joy of reading in a fun, new, and innovative manner.
Also, when kids get the chance to interact with kids or people from different geographies, they gain a chance to establish opinions of different things happening around them.
4- Make reading a family tradition
You can never teach a kid to do something unless he/she is given a reason to do so. Similarly, it is impossible to motivate a kid without a first-hand example.
If possible, make it a family tradition to read books every day for at least 30 minutes. This way, you can create a soft spot for reading in your kid’s heart. You can either read the book out loud for your kid or ask him/her to read the storybook and enact the storyline to comprehend the concept on his/her own.
Also, start with picture books in the beginning and then gradually move upwards to a more informative and factual genre. Don’t forget to create a dedicated reading space and encourage your kid to pick a book of his/her choice.
5- Appreciate your Indian international school kid
If a job is done well, appreciation should be the first thing bestowed upon the person.
Set up a friendly reading competition and reward your kid with something that he/she appreciates. For instance, set aside a predetermined number of books that your kid should read and reward him/her with incentives, such as extended screen time or baking/cooking his/her favourite food, taking him/her to his/her favourite place, etc.
You can even host innovative trivia battles or literary quizzes for your Indian international school kid and his/her friends on a sunny weekend and reward them with prizes, etc.
6- Use books to help your kid understand perspectives
While making reading motivating is the important aspect, helping your high school kid get familiar with important concepts through books is equally important, too.
As mentioned before, don’t limit your kid to a particular genre. Instead, help him/her get familiar with age-appropriate genres to understand different perspectives. This way, you will not only encourage your kid to become a reader but understand the importance of their choice, too.
Wrapping up
While the above-mentioned tricks and tips are universal, it is important to understand that every kid is different and may have special needs. Every kid has different IQ levels, interests and ways of getting familiar with concepts. As a parent, it is your duty to understand your Indian International school kid’s uniqueness and provide him/her with the right materials.