Help children read books that will suit their taste
ARE you the type of person who skim-reads a page before hurriedly turning to the next one?
Or are you more likely to saviour each word, digging deep down into the text to make sure you have grasped everything before you move on?
The answer to that question might be related to your personality, but a new research project has found that gender, too, has something to do with it.
Among a sizeable sample of 850 000 kids at primary and secondary school, Professor Keith Topping (from the University of Dundee) said that boys tended to miss out or skip some sections, while girls were less likely to do so.
This hampered boys’ interest in, and ability to, read for pleasure. Also, boys will often choose a book they perceive to be easy, rather than stimulating or challenging, and this too, was unlike their female counterparts. Because of this, “findings on the gender gap were particularly concerning” because it meant teachers could have a hard time promoting reading for pleasure, Topping said.
“Children who are more engaged, more confident readers are more able to readily access other challenges that the curriculum throws at them. Trying to address gaps at secondary school is often too late,” Topping said. Cape Town mother, Lorenna Isaacs, said she was not surprised by the findings of the study. “Whenever my son reads, it feels like he is just doing it for mommy’s sake and will run out the house into the yard the minute he can. My daughter is the one we have to ask to stop reading because it is supper time. But, honestly speaking, my youngest child –also a boy – does look like he is just reading for fun sometimes so I don’t think we can take the research to the extent of stereotyping.” But there are ways to overcome these hurdles, teacher Leanna Landsmann explained. Firstly, she suggests that you help your son find the things he wants to read.
Adults underestimate what a barrier it is to read for pleasure, when kids can’t easily find something that suits their taste, she said.
Secondly, getting them hooked on a series is always a good idea – that meant after reading the first one, they’re more likely to dive straight into the second one, than if they were looking for a new an unfamiliar book.
Landsmann suggests thinking beyond the book and subscribing to magazines that focus on a topic your child is very interested in – adding that it did not matter what the platform is (print or digital).
And lastly, she said, make your home a place where everybody reads for relaxation. This included reading aloud too.
“Contrary to what many parents think, older kids love to be read to, too. A reading-aloud ritual not only models reading for pleasure, it gives families precious quality time,” she said.
ý To find out more about becoming a FUNda Leader visit http://nalibali.org/funda-leader. For more information about the Nal’ibali reading-for-enjoyment campaign and the “Story Bosso” competition, as well as reading tips and stories in a range of South African languages, visit www.nalibali.org, www.nalibali.mobi or find them on Facebook and Twitter: nalibaliSA.
Nal’ibali is driven by PRAESA, 2015 laureate of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial award for children’s literature and reading promotion.