By the HOME Team
Are you having trouble motivating your child to read? Does one or more of your children fall into the “doer” category? Instead of curling up with a book, these children are on the move, preferring to build, create and produce. What a gift! They are natural kinesthetic learners and action oriented!
When it comes to reading, these high energy children often find the slow pace of a book distasteful. Why read when you can do! Often, this concerns parents who are trying to instill a love of good literature and build strong reading and comprehension skills.
Sound familiar to you? You’re not alone. While studies may vary, most show that kinesthetic learners make up at least 15 - 30% of the school-age population. You are bound to have one of these special learners in your home!
The good news is that these children can be exciting to teach. Under the right conditions, their enthusiasm and love of learning is contagious. If your doer child is resisting reading, shift the focus to one of discovery learning for maximum results.
Here are some motivational strategies that have been suggested by veteran homeschoolers on the HOME Team:
1. Let them choose! Provide them with magazines, comics, graphic novels and audio stories. Encourage them to create and illustrate their own creations.
2. Try 30-minute podcast stories with wireless headphones to allow for plenty of movement.
3. Introduce technical manuals, how-to books, cookbooks, and science magazines and experiments. They all count as much as Shakespeare when motivation is the goal!
4. Make it an adventure. Set up a reading tent with pillows, flashlights, and some favorite stuffed animals.
5. Read aloud together. Reading together fosters engaging conversations. Keep building blocks, crayons and paper, and other manipulative resources available to keep hands busy while listening.
6. Make a book/movie list. Read a chapter of the book together each night. Then compare the book with the movie. Include a related snack for the movie!
7. Look for fun board games that involve reading. Games like Scrabble and Quiddler can help kids to better see how a word is formed.
8. Keep formal reading lessons positive and short (10 minutes). Include plenty of praise!
A less structured, low-pressure and creative approach to reading can help your active child to recognize the value of books and become more engaged in reading. Be sure to celebrate their reading milestones and watch their confidence grow!
For more ideas, add this HOME resource: Teaching Reading: A Stress Free Resource Guide.