Motivating Our Readers
1. Provide access to lots of books!
Students are more motivated to read when they have access to a variety of books on different topics.
2. Provide choices!
Readers become more deeply engaged when they have books of their own choosing to read. Allow students to choose books related to their interest, gender, culture, or race.
3. Help your child become familiar with a variety of books!
Students gravitate towards books that they know a little bit about. Just as adults, they read books that are suggested by others. Suggest books to your child and allow them to choose books that are suggested by their peers, teachers, and school librarian.
4. Allow your child to talk about what they have read!
Students talk about what they learn best and what they remember the longest! Allow your child to share interesting events about the stories they read. Ask them questions about the characters, where the story takes place, the problem, and the solution.
5. Offer Incentives to Encourage Self-Motivation!
The closer the reward to the behavior, the higher the motivation! Reward deep engagement and thoughtful reflection with extra reading time, trips to the library or bookstore, buy a book or magazine from their reading wish list, or read a special story together.
1. Provide access to lots of books!
Students are more motivated to read when they have access to a variety of books on different topics.
2. Provide choices!
Readers become more deeply engaged when they have books of their own choosing to read. Allow students to choose books related to their interest, gender, culture, or race.
3. Help your child become familiar with a variety of books!
Students gravitate towards books that they know a little bit about. Just as adults, they read books that are suggested by others. Suggest books to your child and allow them to choose books that are suggested by their peers, teachers, and school librarian.
4. Allow your child to talk about what they have read!
Students talk about what they learn best and what they remember the longest! Allow your child to share interesting events about the stories they read. Ask them questions about the characters, where the story takes place, the problem, and the solution.
5. Offer Incentives to Encourage Self-Motivation!
The closer the reward to the behavior, the higher the motivation! Reward deep engagement and thoughtful reflection with extra reading time, trips to the library or bookstore, buy a book or magazine from their reading wish list, or read a special story together.