My brother-in-law called me one day to tell me that he and my younger sister were considering changing their children’s school to the same school that my children attend. I asked the reason for the sudden decision because they used to love their current school and speak highly of it, but what had changed?
They stated that their daughter was not improving academically and did not like reading, except when she was forced to. Meanwhile, my daughter is the same age as theirs, but she is super excited about academics. I understand that their current school is not a bad one. I advised my sister and her husband to look inward, as I highlighted the reasons why many students do not like reading.
- They see reading as boring.
- The best relationship they have with reading is for examination or assignments.
- They see reading as a task and an uphill one at that.
- Students may be having trouble reading due to eye defects, lighting issues, etc.
- Students need reading models, mentors, or partners.
To address this, I suggested tackling some of the points mentioned above.
Reading is Boring:
Students see reading as boring because they started their early years with more academic books than books that interest them. When kids find pleasure in reading, it can easily resonate into studying any other material. Help your students find reading interesting. Take them to a bookstore and let them choose the book they love.
Reading should not be used as a threat or form of punishment:
It is essential to understand that reading should not be used as a threat or form of punishment for children. This approach can discourage children from wanting to read and make it a negative experience for them. Instead, make reading a positive and enjoyable experience for them by providing them with books that interest them and creating a reading-friendly environment.
Not reading well/Less Passion to read should not be a punishable offense:
It is not a sign of weakness for a child to be a slow learner when it comes to reading. Every child learns at their own pace, and it is important to understand that not all children are going to have the same level of passion for reading. It is essential to provide them with the necessary support and resources to help them improve their reading skills without punishing them for not reading well or not having a passion for reading.
Students should be made to find experience with reading:
Providing a friendly environment for your kids to read, such as proper lighting, book reading competitions at home, and as a parent, you need to love reading too, even if it’s just magazines. Students are likely to develop a personal interest in reading when they see the reasons for it. When you put more gadgets around them with unlimited access to cable TV/internet, you can hardly give them a good reading experience. Create a TV/gadget time and a reading time.
Reading should not be a task:
Let your kids see the benefits of reading. Tell them about famous figures such as Nelson Mandela, George Washington, and Obafemi Awolowo, and ask them how you got to know so much about them. Buy a compilation of biographies and put them in their hands. Tell them you want them to tell you about Kwame Nkrumah, and it will shock you how they start placing their feet and interest on reading. Kids fall in love with reading without knowing, you only need to look for their point of interests, which could be football, animals, etc.
Difficulty in reading:
Most times, parents do not know that their kids have eye defects. Discover why your kids do not like reading. Eye defects, poor lighting systems, too much background music, irritating dog barks, generator noise, amongst many others. Take away the difficulties and distractions.
Become their reading hero:
We are in a generation that generally pushes parenting responsibilities to school, church, amongst others. Educated or not, or you are not just the reading type, for the good of your children start buying books even if you will not read to the end. Let your children know that my parent reads. Create a family reading time, even if it’s just once a month. Create something frequent and consistent. Possibly have a reading/homework desk, it could be your dining table. Let it be well-lighted. Guide your children to love reading.
Back to my sister’s story, two years later, her daughter fell in love with reading, and their academic performance improved. It is important to realize that reading is not just about academic performance, but it also helps in the development of a child. With the right approach and support, every child can improve their reading skills and find a love for reading.