RAISING YOUNG READERS (as published in TLL Sept. 2012 Issue

Aleeyah reading at Sovanna mall book sale

“There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all,” says the former US first lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Reading book is essential to the literacy development of a child. Reading is an important habit a child needs to develop early in order to succeed later in life, be it in school or in the work place. Reading demands two ways; parents or adult reading to a child and child reading books himself. 

Following are a few tips how you can help your child develop the love reading:

1   1.  Start Early. There is no such thing as reading to a child “too early”. Studies have shown that it is good for the mom to start reading to her baby while the baby is still in her womb, and then continue throughout the stage of infancy. Reading enhances a greater bonding for the mom and the baby; also with the dad. It will help the baby learn to recognize and respond to sounds that she hears repeatedly.

2   2. Read to Your Child at Bedtime. Read to your children, especially at bedtime. Bedtime stories are special moments to share love to your children. Reading develops their comprehension and logic/reasoning skills. More importantly, reading stories help them learn moral lessons, and also sets their mood to sleep early each night. 

3   3. As soon as the Child knows how to Read, Provide Varieties of Books. Provide the child books of different sizes, colors and genres, depending on their age. Start with stories. Story books are always captivating to a child. Poetry, Rhymes and Educational books can be added to the type of books your child needs to read.  

     4. Read for Fun. Make every reading time a fun time, and not a stressful one. Allow your children to use their imaginations while reading. Let their minds explore the world of imagination as they interact with the authors or the stories in the books. 

5   5. Visit Your Local Bookstore and Buy Books Regularly.  There are several bookstores in Phnom Penh that sells cheap and expensive new books, but there are also numbers of secondhand bookshops that sell books for fifty cents to a dollar per book only.

6   6. Give Books as Presents or Incentives.  Although books may not be as exciting as new toys, books are good treasures and investment you can give to your children as present or incentive. For children who love reading, receiving books always excites them seeing that they have books added in their library collection. A famous American educator once said, “Wear your old coat and buy a new book.” 

7   7. Visit Your School Library. You can arrange with your child’s teacher to visit the school library  and read to your child.

8   8. Support the Reading Program of your Child’s School. When your children bring home some books for reading, encourage them to complete the reading assignment.

9   9. Read Books Yourself. It is helpful when your child sees you reading. Whatever you do, most likely, your child will copy it; and reading is a good one for your child to copy from you. 

1   10.   Go the Extreme. Design your child’s bedroom like a little library. Buy some bookshelves and train your kids to arrange their books orderly. When you do, make sure the room is properly ventilated with enough lighting.
          Enjoy Reading!