Introduction

Welcome to the inaugural issue of what will be a safe space for parents and carers of reluctant readers. Here, we will not only delve into the importance of reading to children from a young age, we will also take things a step further. For many reasons, children may develop into reluctant readers. This can be down to a lack of interest, concentration, patience, literacy skills, or more in-depth needs. At Reluctant Readers, we aim to give simple step-by-step guidance and advice that will help you encourage your children to read from an early age and as they progress through primary school.

Deep Dive

By increasing a child’s reading skills, you are not only helping to cement the building blocks to their future education and personal development. You are simultaneously feeding their imaginations and creativity while aiding their writing skills.

I will use my expertise working in Primary Literacy Support and as an award-winning children’s author to bring you advice, knowledge, and strategies that will help encourage your children to read.

We will look at helping reluctant readers from as many angles as possible and to give you an insight into what is to come…

• It’s never too soon to start reading to children.

• Why reading is important to a child’s development and social skills.

• The power of illustrations and why picture books are one of the first crucial rungs in the developmental ladder.

• How you can instil a love of books from an early age.

• What you can do to encourage your child to read, to sit with you and either be read to or read to you.

• How to choose books that reluctant readers will be more likely to read/have read to them. And, more importantly, what books to avoid.

• Choosing the age/genre that suits your child. Meaning children can transition through this age bracket at a pace that suits their own reading stage.

For children with more in-depth needs, we will cover strategies that can encourage literacy, imagination, and speech without a child becoming frustrated at being unable to read the words on a page. We will adapt. We are about inclusion and differentiation, meaning we can bring the world of books to children at a pace they are comfortable with.

Books transport children to far off lands, let us give them the world!

Call to Action - For Babies and Infants

This week, spend time reading to your baby or infant. They may not sit for long, but this is just the beginning. It may be five minutes before bed or while you enjoy an afternoon snack. But as we are all working or have busy lives, find a time that works with ‘your’ routine, as this will inevitably add to the overall success. The aim is to form a habit where your very young children listen. The soothing tones of your voice will be the draw. They will grab at the book, that’s quite normal, but discourage the grabbing and point to images as you read. Force their focus onto the content rather than the physical book. If you do not have a book to hand, tell them a story, something you make up that is gentle, kind, and thoughtful and that matches your soothing tones.

Call to Action - For early primary school stage

Again, just as with babies and infants, we want to form a habit. Initially, this may be difficult with children of this stage as they can be more aware of their limitations, often resulting in frustration. So, this week, rather than forcing them to sit and listen to a story, spend the five minutes per day talking about characters. Ask them who they like and what they would like to see those characters doing? Use this week to learn more about what and who appeals to your child and use that information to discover books/genres that are more suited to them. It may be that they prefer non-fiction. They might want to talk about trains, dinosaurs, or the planet. That’s brilliant; books are books, reading is reading, so go with what resonates with them.