Getting reluctant readers to pick up a book is pretty difficult – trust us, we know. However, the importance of a consistent reading routine is well understated. Reading not just gets them off their phone, computer or games, it improves spelling, grammar, sentence structure, creativity and critical thinking!
In all honestly, it doesn’t really matter what they read, as long as your high schooler is reading something. From physical magazines to non-fiction manuals or history books, to general fiction, it’s highly unlikely that you won’t be able to find something they want to read. The act of reading itself activates the neurological pathways that force the reader into a state of constant imagination, something they don’t experience when information is being displayed visually to them via a screen.
Having more reading in one’s life improves spelling and sentence structure as the reader is more exposed to the different ways in which sentences can be structured. This gives them a variety to choose from when it comes to their own writing, giving them options to make a basic sentence way more advanced and interesting to read.
Not only this, vocabulary is improved. Especially with the epidemic of YouTube, your high schooler is likely consuming content that is a low-grade of vocabulary, usually punctuated with many “ums”, “buts” and “likes”. Any book goes through a triage of editors, making sure the vocabulary is as varied as it can be to engage the reader. This means that the reader will subconsciously pick up these words as they go.
Creativity and critical thinking are another huge aspect of reading. By this constant imagining, the reader will always have a different perspective on a story to another. Because they are not being presented exactly how it should understood, they begin to form their own opinions which helps them engage critically with more ideas outside of books. The generation of images in their mind also lets them connect with their own creativity when it comes to writing their own stories or essays.
Reading is single-handedly one of the best things a student can do in their free time. Remember, children learn by copying, so if you need to pick up reading to show them how easy it is to pick up a book – do that!
If your child would benefit from individualised, one-on-one education with a qualified teacher, get in touch with Full Spectrum Education to
organise a free consultation.
Website: www.fsedu.com.au | info@fsedu.com.au
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Written by Full Spectrum Education
