On parents and reading
Advice for parents about how (and why) they should encourage their child to read
This is a slightly more jargonistic version of an article I recently published for our school newsletter.
Academic plenary season is coming to a close, and after six years at the school, I’ve noticed that a frequently asked question from parents in the junior years is, ‘How do I encourage my daughter to read?’ Year 7 parents report their daughters’ love of reading, but often show some concern about the encroachment of YouTube into recreation time. Year 8 parents reflect nostalgically that their daughter, ‘used to be such a great reader.’ And understandably, parents of students in Year 9 and above have all but succumbed to the realisation that their daughter rarely reads for pleasure. This is a generalisation, but the Library borrowing rates also reflect these patterns. It’s never too late to develop reading habits but it does take some parental input and effort.
There is good and bad news for parents. Reluctant teens can still develop reading habits which will make them smarter and lead to better jobs, which in turn make them more money. Students who read for leisure have higher cultural literacy and are less prone to the ‘Matthew Effect,’ whereby the knowledge-rich get richer and the knowledge-poor become more intellectually impoverished. The bad news, depending on your point of view and parental energy levels, is that fostering young readers requires some work.
To research answers to the perennial question of how to ‘grow’ readers, I drew heavily on the work of cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham. While there is no magic wand, the following suggestions are practical, accessible and address some of the misconceptions about cultivating a habit of reading for leisure.
Show that you value reading and knowledge
Model curiosity. When you go to a museum, read the placards. Ask your child about what they are reading and why they like it, even if you don’t think too highly of the book yourself
Buy your child a bookcase, however modest, to show that books have pride of place in your home
Your child needs to see you reading, not only to see that you value it, but to build a conception of themselves as a member of a family of readers
Support your child to schedule their leisure time
The evidence is unclear about whether reading is ‘pushed out’ by digital media. It is clear that engaging with online entertainment is an easier option than reading
The brain is not thought to be malleable enough for attention spans to permanently ‘change’ in response to digital media, but children are more impatient with boredom than ever before
You can help your child by scheduling reading time into their extracurricular program. Be forewarned though, ‘rewards’ for reading have the opposite effect to what we might hope and actually diminish motivation and intrinsic pleasure.
Children need 20 minutes or more per session to really engage meaningfully with a book
Make reading the easy option
If your child borrows, prompt them to borrow several books. This will make a change of mind a simple and quick transaction
Consider e-readers which give instant access to texts. No more waiting to go to the mall or library
If you are more concerned with reading for pleasure and habit formation, and less concerned about knowledge, find books that align with your child’s interests. Even Wattpad or fanfiction online is better than nothing
On this note, asking other parents about the books their children are enjoying could be a good way to find accessible and enjoyable books for your daughter
We are so lucky to have dedicated and passionate individuals working in our libraries. So get in touch with your library or your child’s English teacher for more specific advice about book choices for your child and together we can revive your daughter’s enthusiasm for reading.
Willingham, D.T. (2015). Raising Kids Who Read : What Parents and Teachers Can Do. New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc.