Reading and books are some things that we are really passionate about here at SproutEd Learning Hub and we take every opportunity to engage children (and adults!) with reading opportunities and connect them with the right books!
Nurturing a love of books is a sure-fire way to get kids reading and writing well and loving it!
There are some important things that you can do to get your children engaged in reading:
Find Texts That Light Them Up!
Are they interested in fiction or non-fiction? Do they love adventure or books about animals? Do they love space, dinosaurs or something else?
Take Your Children to the Library & Book Store Regularly & Let Them Explore!
Support them to choose books that are interesting and appropriate (remember, appropriate doesn't always mean that they need to be able to read the texts on their own AND it doesn't mean that you avoid the tough topics either - be their mentors and guides when exploring these texts).
Read to Your Children!
Read to your children regularly and passionately - yes, do the voices! Demonstrating proper reading expression and behaviours helps your children to understand how texts should sound and expands their literacy capabilities. This is just as important for older children as it is for younger children - so don't stop reading to your children - even when they can read themselves!
Let Your Children See You Read!
Seeing you reading and enjoying different types of texts is a great motivator! Share your experiences of reading with them - what is your favourite story or author? What genres do you like and why? Tell them about interesting information that you've come across when reading or new words that you've found (you could even find the meaning of those words together!)
Connect with Others Who Love Books!
The local library is a great place to connect with booklovers - you can join book clubs, participate in children's activities, attend author events and read-alouds and so much more!
Special Notes for Children Who 'Hate' Reading...
We have often come across parents who adamantly claim that their children 'hate' reading and that they are 'just not readers' - and we are firm believers that every child can enjoy books and reading, perhaps they just haven't found the right books yet!
A really important thing for children who are struggling to engage in reading is to pull back a little from the formalised requirements to read and learn strategies and comprehension and phonics and ALL THE THINGS! Make reading an enjoyable experience for your children (it may take a while for them to re-engage with reading so be patient and persist!).
Ways that you can make reading enjoyable for a reluctant reader:
Being Comfortable is Key...
Choose a comfy spot to sit and make the occasion special in some way (you might like to make a special snack or get them to help you choose what to read - remember you don't always have to read books, magazines, articles and audiobooks can be just as rewarding!)
Sitting Still Isn't for Everyone...
Don't require your child to sit and listen attentively the whole time - let them move around if they need to, ask questions or make observations about what you're reading or listening to, or participate in a quiet activity that keeps their hands busy and their ears listening.
Books, Books, Everywhere...
Have books accessible in your environment in lots of different places - strew around books (or stacks of books and other related interesting things) on topics that might be of interest to your children.
Reading Challenges...Get Involved!
Reading Challenges are a fabulous way to get reading and we are so lucky in Australia that we have special events available in nearly every state, every year that anyone can get involved in!
Early Years, Primary Schools, Secondary Schools, Homeschoolers and Individual Readers of all kinds are encouraged to get involved.
There are extensive book lists available, detailing high quality books for every year level, age and stage.
There are often additional resources, activities and events throughout the reading challenges and there are even sometimes prizes to be one for schools or individuals who complete the challenges!
If you would like to get involved in a Reading Challenge or just take advantage of the wonderful booklists then find your state and check out the website!
Queensland
The Reading Period from Prep to Year 9 runs from May 9 to August 26 2022! Head to the website by clicking the button below to join in!
New South Wales
Open to all NSW students in Kindergarten to Year 10 and runs from February 28 to August 19 2022! Head to the website by clicking the button below to join in!
Northern Territory
Open to every student from Transition to Year 6 in the Northern Territory and runs from February 28 to August 19 2022! Head to the website by clicking the button below to join in!
Victoria
The Challenge encourages children and students to read a set number of books over the year and record their efforts online. Head to the website by clicking the button below to join in!
South Australia
To complete the Premier’s Reading Challenge students need to read 12 books between Week 1, Term 1 and Week 7 Term 3. Head to the website by clicking the button below to join in!
A.C.T
Open to all ACT schools for students in Preschool to Year 12 and runs from February 14 to August 19 2022! Head to the website by clicking the button below to join in!
Other Great Resources for Reading
Little Library Book Boxes
SproutEd Learning Hub’s Little Library currently offers two styles of book box – board (recommended age 0-3) and picture (recommended age 3-8).
Our Boxes include:
A high-quality book curated by our experienced educators
A reading guide for each book
A handcrafted toy that matches the theme of the book
Suggested activities to extend your reading experience
A unique print designed by a local artisan.
Your first box will also come with a wooden print hanger that enables you to change your print with each new Little Library Box or even use your own prints. Boxes come in single gift boxes, 3 month, 6 month or 12 month subscriptions. Which box is right for you?
Story Stones
Story Stones have become very popular in recent years and for good reason! They are a fun and engaging way for children to practice a host of skills. Story Stones develop children's communication and language skills, while encouraging their imagination and creativity. They are also a fantastic way to support non-verbal or pre-writing children to create stories and relate events by combining and placing characters, colours, shapes, places and more! You can order a set of handcrafted, locally made Story Stones in a variety of themes by clicking the button below! They are also available at the Bundaberg Regional Galleries for purchase. Your purchase will support youth artisans in the Wide Bay Region.
Story Mapping Resources
If you are keen to get started using Story Stones in your home or classroom SproutEd Learning Hub has a number of special literacy resources to support you along the way.
These Story Stone Writing Resources can be used with students to support them with storytelling at their level; from placing the Story Stones with support in a very simple sequence to writing and illustrating their own stories on the provided writing papers.
These Writing Resources come in a variety of themes that can also spark the imagination of students when engaging in writing or story-telling tasks.
Reading and writing are closely linked - these resources support diverse learners to engage in all the facets of literacy - reading, writing, listening and responding!
Check out the range by clicking the button below!
The Forge Library is Opening Soon!
Share your favourites and become a published book critic with Monthly Book Reviews! Read books, do activities and attend meets (physical/virtual) with Book Club! Learn about different types of writing, experiment and develop your writing craft & share your work with others with Writer's Club! If you'd like to be involved please head on over to our Youth Portal by clicking below & filling out the Expression of Interest form!
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