Reading is one of the important habits required for student success due to the incomparable merits that it delivers. Proven theories state that a regular reading habit benefits an individual very brilliantly. While reading, a student gets to know about new words, phrases, and information that adds up to the knowledge bank.
It is proven that a habit of reading aloud once a day for a particular period increases the self-esteem, self-confidence, and speaking skills of the reader. In India, schools play a very vital role in developing reading skills in children. Generally, students start reading small phrases, quotes, and sentences by the age of 5-6 years in school. The level and difficulty increase as they proceed to further grades.
Importance of Reading:
- Reading has several benefits in a child’s academic life. It supports learning, memory, and some vital cognitive functions of the brain to strengthen it.
- Many doctors and educators suggest that parents should start reading together with their children before bedtime to strengthen the relationship.
- This also helps both the parent and the child in a calm and peaceful sleep. Just like our body requires regular physical activity to stay fit, the human brain requires a mental activity that is to be performed regularly to keep it sharp.
- Reading can be termed as one of the best mental activities that not only keep the mind sharp but also support boosting confidence and developing presentable communication skills.
- Also, it has been seen that students who read regularly do not face experiences like panicking while performing on stage.
What Kind of Books Should Your Children Read?
Every reading content is curated for an audience belonging to a particular age group. It is obvious not to expect a 10-year-old student to read psychologist Joseph Murphy’s writing. Therefore, parents/teachers need to find the right reading content for their children/students that is specially curated for their age group. This segment will describe the process of choosing the right book or e-book for your little readers.
So, First Find Out What They Like to Read About!
Children will only read a book with their complete focus if they find the content interesting and relatable. It is considered necessary for parents or teachers to find out what their children like to read about.
Some students find topics like astronomy and technology very engaging. Hence, parents should look for books from authors like Catherine D. Hughes, Chris Hadfield, or Kate Fillion.
Prioritize Short & Crisp Books at the Beginning
After analyzing the reading skills of students in class, expert teachers suggest that only short content should be provided to younger children. At first, one cannot expect a very good focus span from children belonging to this age group. Hence, they might stop reading or lose interest if the book is too long.
Look for Age-Appropriate Books
As mentioned above, parents should always check the age group that the book is targeting. Sometimes, children read the content that is not developed for their age and thus fail in understanding or comprehending. Therefore, they might drop the idea of reading as a hobby. One can easily judge the age group a book is targeting by simply reading the synopsis.
Try Innovative Mediums
This is a new era and most people prefer e-books over paper books. It is because they are more interactive, inexpensive, and of course, digital! Some students run away from books and thus avoid reading. So, parents can simply download free or inexpensive e-books on mobile devices and see if their children like the concept or not.
Happy Parenting!