How to Get Your High School Child to Read

With all the iPods, MTV, and Facebook distractions many teenagers are missing out on an important skill: reading. As a junior high school English teacher, I hear my students complain all the time about reading short passages. Interest surveys given at the beginning of each semester show most of my students think all reading is boring, they would rather take a test than read anything and they think it's unimportant to their lives.

The sad truth is reading a skill that improves and necessitates many other skills, like effective writing, comprehension and communication. Students have been told about their "ADD" and short attention spans for so man years they have given up on themselves; they believe they are physically incapable of paying attention to a book more than five minutes. This attitude is disastrous for American teenagers.

Encouraging your child to become a reader if one of the single most important things you will do to boost their self-esteem and their future potential.

Start with your child's interests. Invest in a magazine subscription about something they enjoy. Whether your high school child is into country music, rap, snowboarding, photography, football or cheerleading, there is a magazine dedicated to the interest with well written articles available.

A great activity to do while your child is riding in the car with you, or just before dinner - observe your child with the magazine; they will be tempted to just look at the pictures and scan the captions and headlines. This is ok, and is actually a pre-reading activity we teach high school students. But don't let your child stop there. Once they have flipped through the magazine, ask them to tell you what they found interesting. They might mention a headline or caption that sounded cool. Ask them a question they have to read a little further to figure out.

For example, if your child picks up a copy of Sports Illustrated and mentioned the New Orleans Saints undefeated streak, say, "Wow, that's pretty good. Who is their quarterback? What's his story? Tell me about him." Your child will naturally skim the article to find information about Brees. "Skimming and skamming" is another devious trick English teachers use to trick student into reading without freaking them out. A person will naturally slow down and read sentences that catch his eye even when he doesn't realize it. The more interested in the story he becomes, the more of it he reads.

Set aside a "reading time" in your home. Every person in the home, even you, has to participate. Keep the time short, around 20 or 30 minutes. You never want reading to seem like punishment. Model good reading habits for your child. Have everyone come in the family room and read whatever they choose for the time period. Then let everyone say one thing summing up their reading. Your child will probably whine at first, but soon it will become habit.

Search on the Internet for books about place or people your high school student is interested in. If your child has a dream of visiting Ireland, take her to the library and help her find books about Irish culture and legends. If your student is a big fan of Tony Hawk, purchase his biography. If your child like horror movies, go for scary writers or purchase the book versions of their favorite movies.

Take advantage of your child's high school librarian. These individuals make it their job to constantly watch trends in popular books and look for stories to supplement students' interests. Let them recommend good companion books for Harry Potter or Twilight fans who have already exhausted the series.

Finally, look for books that deal with issues close to your children and their friends. Often, powerful books come along that get a lot of attention, like Push which has been made into the blockbuster "Precious." Be aware that these books deal with mature issues, but trust your child to handle them. Read them at the same time your child is reading them and discuss concerning words, situations or issues.