How to Promote Motivation

Choose the Best

Choose books that you enjoy reading, that the children enjoy and that are fun to read. Libraries often have children book lists and children’s librarians are very knowledgeable. Use this great community resource.

The Government of Ontario has links to all public libraries at this site:
http://www.culture.gov.on.ca/english/culdiv/library/oplweb.htm

Read with Gusto

If your children like it, read picture books using different voices and lots of expression. There are children who do not like the different voices. You know best what they will enjoy.

Over and Over Again

Young children love to hear the same stories over and over again, so read them over and over again because it’s good for children. Believe it or not, it seems they learn something new with each read through.

Let Them Talk

As you read, let the children add their comments. Reading aloud should be interactive, not simply a listening experience. The children need to talk about what they see in the story, and they need to link what they see and hear in the book to their everyday experience.

Words, Words, Words

Explain the words in the story. Books are a great source of new and interesting words.

Link to Think

Link what the children see in the pictures to things in their environment. For example, if you are reading about cars, talk about the cars the children see everyday.

Join in For Reading

Encourage your children to join in if you are reading a book that has a repeated line, or one which is based on a nursery rhyme that your children know.

Stop

Stop reading if you realize the book is a dud or if most of the children become distracted.

Words to See

As your children get older, point to the words as you read them. This will help them link the printed word to spoken language.

Let Me Read It!

Young children who have listened to a story many times will learn the story well enough that they can ‘read’ it to you. This is great. It means that they are one step closer to learning how to read, so encourage them and listen to their ‘reading’.

Leave Them Wanting More

Read the books you want to read to the children before you read them to the group. Make sure the books are not too long. Leave ‘em wanting more!

Practice Makes Perfect

To have fun while reading (a key component to the children’s enjoyment), you may need to practice reading it out loud before you read the book to the children. This will give you confidence; you will learn when you need to emphasize a phrase or to speak louder or softer. The better you know the text, the easier it will be to have fun with it.