GET READING: Let’s Get Motivated
Hello Families!
Welcome to The Learning with Joy Blog and our first blog post.
Thanks for being here and I hope we can find joy in learning together!
We are going to GET READING this month!
Stay tuned in April for ideas to help make reading a consistent joy in your home by…
getting motivated, getting curious, getting active, and getting specific
There is a lot of research to support consistent daily reading in aiding with vocabulary, knowledge, memory, self-esteem, strong relationships, and more (The Children’s Reading Foundation). You will often see 20 minutes a day as a guideline for building reading habits at home. Our goal this week is to start building this habit. The good news is that it does not have to be extremely structured or have a specific approach. In fact, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “The crucial factor that determines whether a student will do well or poorly in school is not how aggressively he was pushed early on, but rather his own enthusiasm for learning.” In the article Is Your Child Ready to Read?, the AAP discusses the importance of enthusiasm, family involvement, and discussion. There is, of course, a time and place for structured, science-based reading instruction (when learning the skill of reading it is important to utilize the science of reading). The home, however, can be a wonderful place for creating joy and a love of learning, which is proven to help learners succeed in many facets of academics and life. I will be sharing ways to boost motivation, joy and engagement that can support either pre-reading age or learners who are working on reading skills or independent readers.
LET’S GET MOTIVATED
When supporting your learner at home, it is most beneficial to build a joy and love of reading. We are naturally motivated to do things we enjoy. During reading time you can read to your learner, have them read to you, as well as discuss and connect to fun, interesting topics. So this week as we build a daily habit of reading, let's have some fun! At the bottom of the blog post you will find a link to a downloadable reading challenge page. (Please remember these are simply ideas and tools to be used in a way that works best for you and your learner. Always engage in choosing the content your learner reads & supervise and guide activities and the safety of the environment.)
Start by asking your learner what they want to learn about or what their favorite books are. You can read to your learner, they can peruse books, and they can read to you if they have begun that journey as well. (If your learner is reading independently, it is still beneficial to read to them- to build your relationship, model reading habits, or read books they love that may be above their current reading level)
The reading challenge worksheet offers ways to add some fun and mix it up while building a habit of reading. It is also a visual aid for learners to see how much they have accomplished and feel proud each time they color in or cover an activity with a sticker. If printing isn't an option you can simply use the digital page for ideas, or create your own tracker at home.
Maybe you start with 5 or 10 minutes a day.
Maybe you start by working towards 2 or 3 consistent days a week.
Remember, the most important part is that your learner is invested, you spend quality time together and you have fun! Let’s read with joy this week!
CLICK HERE for a downloadable reading challenge worksheet
LOOKING FOR MORE?
Printable Expansion
If you enjoyed the reading challenge worksheet and want more like it- You can purchase my reading challenge printables bundle in the shop for just 2.99 + taxes/fees.
This bundle includes 8 themed, color-in worksheets to keep up the fun year-round. (4 seasonal, 1 kindness, 1 spooky, 2 bingo/tic tac toe style)
Finding Books
If you are looking for places to find books, I have listed some ideas below.
*I am not associated with any of these suggestions, or responsible for their content, so as always, please review any books or resources your learner uses and make sure it’s the best fit for them and you. *
Take an outing to your public library!
It’s free, fun, and full of resources!
Librarians can help you find any topic your learner may be interested in and if they are at a stage where they are reading themselves, they can help you find the best-level book. Your learner's teacher can let you know levels/catagories to ask for.
Check out a used book store or local book swap
You could also create your own book swap with friends or families, to get new reads each week or month.
Non-Fiction Online Resources (read online or print out)
The Scholastic Store
Easy to search by grade, topic, bundle, etc.
Subscribe to a kid's magazine.
There are many different options available for specific topics and age groups. Receiving something in the mail each month can be exciting to dig into and read.
Books from your past
Have any old books lying around or in storage from your childhood? It can be fun to connect and share experiences you had with reading.
Miss B’s Picks
Below are some books I have enjoyed reading as a mom or a teacher.
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases*
Bilingual Favs
Baby Loves Aerospace Al bebe le encanta la ingenieria aeroespacial
