Using Newspapers, Periodicals and
other Resources to Help Your Child with Reading
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Many parents
think their children aren't actually "reading" unless they've picked up a
library book or are doing school-related reading. But there are many ways to
indirectly enhance a broad range of reading skills in the home. Aside from food
boxes and packages, directions for using tools and making repairs, taking
medication, and other printed matter, there is a daily "reader" that reaches
practically every home in America. It's
the newspaper-and it's a veritable goldmine for encouraging and developing
reading, thinking, and learning skills. The same is true of magazines of
interest.
If you are seen
reading newspapers and magazines and not relying on television as the sole
source for news and entertainment, chances are high that your children will do
the same. Enough cannot be said about the importance of parents as role models
for what their children do, think, feel, and value.
The advantage of
a morning paper is that time may not be as "tight" in the morning as it is in
the evening. Morning time allows reviewing important parts of the newspaper and
getting a feel for critical issues as the day begins.
Key sections of
the newspaper that offer special appeal are:
-The front news
section (world and regional events of interest, such as disasters, conflicts,
trends in legislation, deaths of well- known personalities, etc.)
-Columnists such
as Dear Abby and Miss Manners
-Comic strips
with special favorites
-Display ads
featuring sales and new products
-Movie, theater,
concert, and television program reviews
-Sports pages,
batting averages, outcome of key games, highlights on sports personalities,
interviews
-Financial
news-while they may not have immediate interest to teenagers, often the
financial pages will highlight fascinating trends and new products
-The classified
ad section will be appealing to teenagers interested in such things as stereo
equipment, cars. part-time jobs, etc.
-The editorial
pages which sometimes carry fairly dramatic letters to the editor
-Assorted
material-recipes, book reviews, human interest stories, et cetera
Perhaps a
comment such as "Oh, look at this! Can you believe this?" will perk up interest
as a parent sees something that relates to the child's life or interests. Or "I
think you'll be interested in" might be just enough to stimulate reading the
article. Or even a casual comment between parents, "I couldn't believe that
article about"-----may catch the youngster's fancy.
You can "teach"
skimming and scanning techniques very quickly with the news sections of the
newspaper. Newspaper writers are extremely skilled at writing various levels of
headlines and giving the important facts in the first paragraph of the article.
Show the youngster that he can first quickly scan, for example, the news
section and check those articles he may wish to go back and read in full. This
highlights articles that may be important to him and he can then go back and
check the opening paragraph to see if it really does hold interest for him.
There are many
magazines available either by subscription or at the local newsstand that
provide an abundance of enjoyable reading material. Some may seem to be
targeted to girls, some to boys, but, happily, in today's world there are no
longer, for the most part, clear demarcations. Your daughter may be just as
interested in Popular Mechanics as your son!
Most homes
receive through the mail a variety of catalogs which feature all kinds of
products. If you allow your child to order one product, it will generate his
interest in reading through the catalog. "I'm going to order a few things. Do
you see anything you want?" will capture the imagination of the child. If the
price goes beyond a certain dollar amount, arrange some sort of equitable split
on the cost. (You may want to let the youngster help you fill out the order
form-it's good practice).
Discussion can
be encouraged in subtle, gentle ways. After the child has read something,
follow it up with, "What do you think? Was he right? I wondered about his
conclusions" or some such informal chit-chat to engender a response. For
example, if you know your youngster has seen a new movie, and there's a review
of it in the newspaper or current magazine, you might informally discuss his
reactions to the review. Does he agree? Disagree? Why?
Small town or
neighborhood newspapers are fun to read because of the possibility of reading
about someone you know. It should be easy to encourage the child to read the
write-up of his school's special events.-who has been chosen May Queen--or who
has left town for the service.
Everyone
complains about junk mail. On the other hand, everyone loves to open envelopes
and scrutinize their contents. Save your junk mail and let your youngster open
and read it. Most junk mail is written and designed for eye appeal and
quick-and-easy reading.
A good family
activity for a cold or wet winter's night is to choose a topic and look it up
in the family reference books. Let the youngster read it aloud (with help if
necessary), and then the family can enter into a discussion. For example,
someone might bring up "ants" as a topic. Everyone has been plagued with ants
in the house, but what are they really like? What are their modes of living?
For example, how fascinating to learn that ants "raise" aphids, corral them,
and milk them. Or-are all bird beaks alike? If different why? The possibilities
for subjects are endless. And once the resources of the reference book have
been exhausted, the child may wish to learn even more on the subject. Here is
where the local library can become an important resource. Work with your local
librarian (or bookstore manager). These people know what is new and are
delighted to make suggestions. Ask them about trends. You may want to offer a
bit of information to them about your child's reading needs and interests and
about your role in trying to meet these needs.
A number of
hobbies, such as knitting and building model kits, require a fair amount of
reading. Encourage these, but stand ready to offer abundant and cheerful help
when it becomes necessary. It is important to prevent or eliminate any
frustration that may accompany the act of reading. More ground will be lost
than can be regained in a long time.
Use those
convenience foods. What family doesn't occasionally resort to putting frozen
chicken in the oven? The directions are amazingly simple! Try something like,
"Bill, will you put that chicken in the oven! I'll start the salad. Just read
the directions about preheating the oven." (Not only does this stimulate
reading but it can be extremely helpful to the harried homemaker!) another
tactic might be, "I can't read the tiny print (on medicine riles, cereal boxes,
and other pack aged items). Will you read it me?" In other words, it doesn't
hurt to be devious!
If the youngster
in your family evidences particular interest in a rock star, sports figure, et
cetera, suggest that he keep a scrapbook of articles about this person. If you
spot an article he's not likely to read, clip it out and give it to him, saying
"Here's an interesting article for your scrapbook." You can be sure it will be
read.
Study the
marketplace for novels or nonfiction books that have been designed especially
with the low-level reader in mind. There is now available a large selection of
books of high interest-low vocabulary that the young person can read quickly
and enjoy thoroughly. You need not urge him to read these books. Just keep them
available on the coffee table with the current newspapers and magazines, and
chances are great he will pick them up and read them.
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