SHAPING A CHILD'S FUTURE THROUGH READING

By Sina Adelaja-Olowoake

"The more that you read the more things you will know.
   The more that you learn, the more places you will go"  - Dr Seuss

Reading is an extremely powerful tool but many are yet to  realise its potential to literally transform lives. Take a look at world today - great men and women always point to the books they read as part of what helped them to achieve great success.
In Australia a research was carried out on two sets of 8 month old babies. One set was read to regularly while the other set was not. By the time they were ready for preschool, the set that was read to regularly had developed a rich vocabulary than the group that did not engage in any reading.
Therefore it most pertinent that parents and guardians do all in their power to get their children / wards into the habit of reading from an early age.

• Creating a love of reading is one way of improving the academic standards in school. Schools should invest in a variety of books for all ages and tastes. There are many organizations worldwide that can assist schools with the provision of suitable books. 
• Reading aloud develops speaking skills which in turn helps build self confidence. 
• Helps children gain new ideas
• Reading for pleasure is more likely to determine whether a child does well at school. 

Reading is about acquiring meaning, enjoyment, information and understanding. Teachers, Parents and Guardians should always bear this in mind. Reading is not reading unless what is read is understood. 

• Set apart a regular time for reading - usually 20 minutes a day. 
• Ensure the atmosphere is fun not tense. A tense atmosphere will affect the children's composure and focus and is likely to negatively affect the outcome of the exercise. 
• Choose good books to help develop vocabulary which can then be transferred to other areas such as speaking and writing. A child with a rich vocabulary will also exhibit great oratory.
• Listen to the children reading. Show them you are interested. Give them undivided attention
• As the children read, ask them questions about what they are reading to ensure they understand. You can even ask them questions that are outside the text.
• Let them struggle with words. That way they will learn
• Give lots of encouragement. Don't shout at them when they struggle with words or struggle to remember what they read. 

• For children who show a reluctance to read, find out what they like. For example boys are more likely to read football comics, magazines, and action hero books than other types of books. 
• Children have the ability to remember stories depending on how it is presented to them. if you are reading to children, don't just read. Give life to the text. Dramatise. Make it interesting. Teachers / Parents / Guardians, you may even have to dress up as a character in a book to get the children interested. Sing.  Dance. Do anything to create an interest.
• Once is never enough - Encourage your child to re-read favourite books
• Take control of the television. Encourage reading as a distraction free activity. 

If you adopt these measures, the children will quickly fall in love with reading and by so doing will expand their horizons effortlessly and place them at a vantage point .