Reading at school

Tips on how perform daily reading

Daily reading aloud by a teacher - always with enthusiasm and real pleasure - should be performed at fixed hours.

Reading corner
Create a special place with a shelf of books available for children, with the covers turned to the viewers to attract their attention and encourage them to browse and read on their own. 

Time spent on reading should be adjusted to the children's attention span.
Children without previous experience with reading can have difficulties concentrating for longer than a few minutes. Some of them will not be able to listen at all. We shouldn't be discouraged! It can take a few months for children to get used to reading and look forward to it.

Don't force children to sit still. 
Some children need to move. Allow them to walk or play silently while listening to reading.

Reading inspires other activities
Reading should be accompanied and enriched with conversations, as well as physical and musical activities, drawing and painting, preparing performances and decorations, etc.

Invite guests to read - parents, grandparents, scouts, seniors, representatives of interesting professions can be invited to read to the children and talk about their passions and work. It would make reading more worthwhile for kids and encourage parents to read at home.
Invite disabled persons who are specialists in interesting professions to read to the children - a blind individual, a person in a wheelchair, etc. Children should know in advance about their disability, discuss and prepare facilities to enable the guest an easier access to the room. Such meetings broaden the children's knowledge and empathy to other people, teach them respect for the disabled persons and develop their moral sensitivity.

Invite foreign guests who can speak your language or provide translation. Ask them to wear their national attire and bring things characteristic of their country. They can read or tell their national fairy tales and talk about their homeland and culture.

Cooperate with the local library - take kids regularly to the library where the librarians can teach them how to use their resources, show new books and read to them.

Take children to bookshops, museums, art exhibitions and concerts. 
Raising a reader requires building a child's general knowledge, stimulating his/ her interests and developing sensitivity.

At the beginning of each year, it is a good idea to organize a meeting with the parents on the importance of reading to children at home, as well as limiting the time they spend watching television and using a computer.

It is equally imperative to monitor the programmes they watch and computer games they play. Tips on recommended books can be distributed. Parents should also be aware that they are role models - if they read books themselves and read to their children daily, they will raise a reader - a person who is educated, cultural, moral, happy, and will live a better and longer life.

Reading should always be a pleasure for a child and never a compulsion, punishment or boring experience.