7 effective ways to increase your child’s reading skills

As you might know, reading and writing often go together. So, to raise kids who can write, reading should be a big part of their life. That’s why helping your child develop strong reading skills is essential for them to excel in other subjects. Since reading is this important, parents should play a significant role in assisting their children in the growing interest in reading. 

These seven tips will increase your kid’s reading skills and help them become more effective readers. 

Ensure you choose the best school for them

School plays a vital role in students reading skills. So, the essential thing you can do is select the right school for your child that promotes reading abilities. One thing to note, for sure, is that you will never go wrong with international schools. The best international schools in Abu Dhabi offer a reading-friendly curriculum that is meant to boost their students reading skills. Combines with various co-curricular programs such as reading and writing clubs, your child’s reading abilities will be catered for both in school and at home. 

Assess their reading progress

You can use different ways to increase your children reading skills, but you will not know whether the approaches are practical without coming up with an assessment method. You want to determine whether your efforts are bearing any fruits. Track their reading progress in their school report cards and standardized exams or tests. Most curriculum offered by the best international schools in Abu Dhabi will breaks down this information for you. 

Create a daily reading routine

Consistency is key to mastering reading; thus, coming up with a daily routine provides an excellent opportunity for the children to develop reading skills. Leaving your children to read by themselves can be the most boring activity in the world. For this routine to be successful, you will need to read with your children. 

Depending on their age, take turns in reading pages, sections, or chapters of the book. Although most parents think reading together is reserved for preschool or early elementary young kids, you can still use this method for older children. As you read stories together, the children's desire to read independently will increase.  

Make reading fun

Children are likely not to improve their reading skills if they have to sit down and read the same book repeatedly. Try to spice up the process by being creative to make it as fun as possible. Choose reading books with accompanying images over a text without graphics. This will create reading interest as children can visualize whatever they are reading. 

If your child loves superhero and mystery books, include tone variation while reading to mimic their favorite character in the story. Children learn best in a fun, playful environment where they can laugh, enjoy, and gain some reading skills as well. 

 Surround them with reading material

Children are likely to read anything that they see around them. You can leverage on this aspect and avail reading materials around your house. Instead of keeping books and magazines on the shelves where they can't reach, place them on the table. When they arrive at home and see those engaging storybooks, they will get them and start reading straight away. 

At home, we are used to hanging picture portraits on our walls. In addition to that, you can buy reading posters and hang them in your kid's bedroom and playground. Even when they are playing, they will have something to read and expand their skills.  

Allow your child to follow their interests

In reading, you can't be perfect all through. There is that kind of genre that your child loves to read. Let your children choose the book they want to read. If you don’t engage them in buying and choosing their studying material, reding will become a chore rather than a cherished activity. If they follow their passion in the reading process, they have higher chances of improving their reading skills. If they have not yet discovered their interest, as a parent, you can help them understand their strengths and weak points and assist them in improving both.

Write, Write, and Write!

As we mentioned earlier, reading and writing go together. You can use writing to assess whether your child is improving on his/her reading classes. Ask your kid to help you write the grocery list, or write a Christmas note to grandpa and grandma. Please encourage them to use the vocabulary that they learned during their reading sessions. If the child can construct good sentences and ensure the flow of the ideas, this means that they are becoming effective readers. 

Keep these seven strategies in mind to improve your child's reading skills today and help them become effective readers.