Teaches parents how to use newspapers and magazines to help improve their child's reading ability with emphasis on comprehension and vocabulary building.
Many parents think their children aren't actually
"reading" unless they've picked up a library book or are
doing school-related reading. But there are many ways to
indirectly enhance a broad range of reading skills in
the home. Aside from food boxes and packages, directions
for using tools and making repairs, taking medication,
and other printed matter, there is a daily "reader" that
reaches practically every home in America. It’s the
newspaper-and it's a veritable goldmine for encouraging
and developing reading, thinking, and learning skills.
The same is true of magazines of interest.
If you are seen reading newspapers and magazines and not
relying on television as the sole source for news and
entertainment, chances are high that your children will
do the same. Enough cannot be said about the importance
of parents as role models for what their children do,
think, feel, and value.
The advantage of a morning paper is that time may not be
as "tight" in the morning as it is in the evening.
Morning time allows reviewing important parts of the
newspaper and getting a feel for critical issues as the
day begins.
Key sections of the newspaper that offer special appeal
are:
Perhaps a comment such as "Oh, look at this! Can you
believe this?" will perk up interest as a parent sees
something that relates to the child's life or interests.
Or "I think you'll be interested in" might be just
enough to stimulate reading the article. Or even a
casual comment between parents, "I couldn't believe that
article about"-----may catch the youngster's fancy.
You can "teach" skimming and scanning techniques very
quickly with the news sections of the newspaper.
Newspaper writers are extremely skilled at writing
various levels of headlines and giving the important
facts in the first paragraph of the article. Show the
youngster that he can first quickly scan, for example,
the news section and check those articles he may wish to
go back and read in full. This highlights articles that
may be important to him and he can then go back and
check the opening paragraph to see if it really does
hold interest for him.
There are many magazines available either by
subscription or at the local newsstand that provide an
abundance of enjoyable reading material. Some may seem
to be targeted to girls, some to boys, but, happily, in
today's world there are no longer, for the most part,
clear demarcations. Your daughter may be just as
interested in Popular Mechanics as your son!
Most homes receive through the mail a variety of
catalogs which feature all kinds of products. If you
allow your child to order one product, it will generate
his interest in reading through the catalog. "I'm going
to order a few things. Do you see anything you want?"
will capture the imagination of the child. If the price
goes beyond a certain dollar amount, arrange some sort
of equitable split on the cost. (You may want to let the
youngster help you fill out the order form-it's good
practice).
Discussion can be encouraged in subtle, gentle ways.
After the child has read something, follow it up with,
"What do you think? Was he right? I wondered about his
conclusions" or some such informal chit-chat to engender
a response. For example, if you know your youngster has
seen a new movie, and there's a review of it in the
newspaper or current magazine, you might informally
discuss his reactions to the review. Does he agree?
Disagree? Why?
Small town or neighborhood newspapers are fun to read
because of the possibility of reading about someone you
know. It should be easy to encourage the child to read
the write-up of his school's special events.-who has
been chosen May Queen--or who has left town for the
service.
Everyone complains about junk mail. On the other hand,
everyone loves to open envelopes and scrutinize their
contents. Save your junk mail and let your youngster
open and read it. Most junk mail is written and designed
for eye appeal and quick-and-easy reading.
A good family activity for a cold or wet winter's night
is to choose a topic and look it up in the family
reference books. Let the youngster read it aloud (with
help if necessary), and then the family can enter into a
discussion. For example, someone might bring up "ants"
as a topic. Everyone has been plagued with ants in the
house, but what are they really like? What are their
modes of living? For example, how fascinating to learn
that ants "raise" aphids, corral them, and milk them.
Or-are all bird beaks alike? If different why? The
possibilities for subjects are endless. And once the
resources of the reference book have been exhausted, the
child may wish to learn even more on the subject. Here
is where the local library can become an important
resource. Work with your local librarian (or bookstore
manager). These people know what is new and are
delighted to make suggestions. Ask them about trends.
You may want to offer a bit of information to them about
your child's reading needs and interests and about your
role in trying to meet these needs.
A number of hobbies, such as knitting and building model
kits, require a fair amount of reading. Encourage these,
but stand ready to offer abundant and cheerful help when
it becomes necessary. It is important to prevent or
eliminate any frustration that may accompany the act of
reading. More ground will be lost than can be regained
in a long time.
Use those convenience foods. What family doesn't
occasionally resort to putting frozen chicken in the
oven? The directions are amazingly simple! Try something
like, "Bill, will you put that chicken in the oven! I'll
start the salad. Just read the directions about
preheating the oven." (Not only does this stimulate
reading but it can be extremely helpful to the harried
homemaker!) another tactic might be, "I can't read the
tiny print (on medicine riles, cereal boxes, and other
pack aged items). Will you read it me?" In other words,
it doesn't hurt to be devious!
If the youngster in your family evidences particular
interest in a rock star, sports figure, et cetera,
suggest that he keep a scrapbook of articles about this
person. If you spot an article he's not likely to read,
clip it out and give it to him, saying "Here's an
interesting article for your scrapbook." You can be sure
it will be read.
Study the marketplace for novels or nonfiction books
that have been designed especially with the low-level
reader in mind. There is now available a large selection
of books of high interest-low vocabulary that the young
person can read quickly and enjoy thoroughly. You need
not urge him to read these books. Just keep them
available on the coffee table with the current
newspapers and magazines, and chances are great he will
pick them up and read them.
Online Newspapers:
USA Today
Christian Science Monitor
ChicagoTribune
Detroit News
Los Angeles Times
Seattle Times
Washington Post