Tips to Inspire a Love of Reading in Children

When I volunteered to help teach reading to "lagging" first graders, I received a set of tools designed to help me. The reading tools included improvised flash cards. Some cards pictured letters, so struggling readers could practice the letter sounds. Others contained the sight words kids should know by heart rather than try to sound out. One set consisted of nonsense syllables. The problem was, these were the very same methods in use in the classroom, and they had not worked with these children.

The books used to teach reading to these first graders struck me as uninteresting. They were clearly designed to teach words, not convey stories. After consulting with the teacher in charge of the reading program, I substituted some of the children's literature and techniques I had used to inspire my own children's interest in reading with good results.

Here are some of the simple tips I have used effectively to inspire a love of reading in children:

Choose Quality Reading Materials

Choosing books with a captivating story line and colorful illustrations gives a child a reason to want to read. When I read with children in schools, I brought a handful of my own children's favorite books with me and let the child look through them and choose which book to read.

Read Like You Care

If you can read with enough inflection, pauses, gasps and other verbal cues that this is one exciting story, a child is going to get hooked.

Involve the Child

Asking dramatic questions, like "Oh no, what do you think is going to happen to him?" and "What would you do?" involve the child in the story. They also bring the child back if the child is starting to lose focus. Teachers do this in the classroom but too often the effort becomes rote, with monotonous vocal tone. Changing your voice to reflect the mood of the story adds a critical interest element for the young reader.

Pay Attention to Sounds

Many books for young children contain rhythmic sound patterns and onomatopoeia. These literary techniques invite mimicry, role playing, and action, making the kids an integral part of the story.

Get Playful

There's no reason a story can't be sung or some words switched around to make it funny. It's not the precise words on the page that matter but the story they bring to life- and that story can vary to meet the interests of the reader.