Gather your favorite books this weekend to celebrate NEA’s Read Across America Day! On March 2nd, students, parents and community members across the country will join together to share their love of reading. Read Across America Day, which is celebrated annually on Dr. Seuss’s birthday, is designed to encourage students to read.
Reading, however, doesn’t top every child’s list of favorite things to do. Unfortunately, some kids hate to read. Here are five ways to cultivate a love of reading in students:
- READ! Bring reading alive through story time. Discover students’ interests and gather a variety of books, such as folktales, chapter books and poetry. You can also invite parents to read their favorite book or Skype an author.
- Utilize technology. Students are fascinated with technology! Use a computer or handheld device to access a digital library of eBooks. Storia and Raz-Kids are great resources for children’s eBooks.
- Organize a book club. A book club adds the fun factor to reading by allowing students to socialize and discuss books with their friends. To learn how to set up a book club, check out Teach HUB’s Student Book Club Guide.
- Set up reading contests. Challenge students to a reading contest to motivate them to read! Ask them to read a select number of books and to track their progress using a reading log. Whoever reads the most books by a certain date receives a reward!
- Take weekly field trips to the local library. Allow students to explore the vast world of books. Show students how to locate and check out a book, and sign everyone up for a library card. It’s a great way to introduce students to the many different types of books they have at their fingertips.
For more resources, check out:
Read With Me: 5 Tips to Foster a Love for Reading | Edutopia
Simple Practices to Nurture the Motivation to Read | Reading Rockets
Nurturing Literacy: Tips and Resources for Developing Lifelong Readers | Edutopia
