Helping our young children learn to read is important and exciting, but what happens when our toddlers hit their teens? Teacher and children’s literature specialist, Laura Bridge, explores some ideas to help parents develop the reading skills of their older children.
Never too old for bedtime stories
Remember curling up with your toddler and their favourite picture book? For many children, these bedtime moments of quiet wonder are some of the most memorable and formative of their childhood. Often, this bedtime routine stops as children get older, but it doesn’t have to. Sharing a story with a teen can be a wonderful, bonding experience and one that reignites a love of reading.
- You don’t have to snuggle in bed Sit on the sofa with a hot chocolate or read after dinner over a nice cup of tea and a biscuit. Just find somewhere comfortable!
- Find a book that inspired a film Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline are some examples of books and movies your teen may love. Classic stories such as Austin’s Emma and Alcott’s Little Women also have wonderful film versions to hook reluctant readers in.
- Explore a topic your child is interested in My history-obsessed 13-year-old recently asked, “What would have happened if Germany had won World War Two?” The next day his dad bought Fatherland by Robert Harris which explores that question and they read it together. If history isn’t your teen’s thing, perhaps a biography of a famous person would be more appealing.
- Choose an old favourite to share with your teen I recently read my 11-year-old John Christopher’s classic sci-fi The Tripods and he then read the rest of the trilogy independently and enjoyed discussing the ideas with me. Be aware that some books haven’t aged well, with outdated language and representation and limited diversity. These issues can be great conversation starters to show how times have changed.
Model reading as a pastime.
Do you read for pleasure? It’s easier for teens to see reading as valuable if those around them feel the same. Try some of these ideas to show your teen that reading is important to you too.
- Why not pick up two copies of the same book? Give one to your teen and read the other yourself. Check in periodically to see what you think of the action so far.
- Share audiobooks These are particularly good for long car journeys or to listen to while multi-tasking. They can be a great way to get dyslexic kids back into stories.
- Adults often read the news on a phone or tablet To screen-obsessed teens, it may seem as though we are ‘on screens’ when we are actually reading the modern-day equivalent of a newspaper. Let them know that you are reading by discussing the news with them.
- Drop everything and read I know families who have ‘reading time’ after dinner, where everyone gets their book and reads for half an hour. How peaceful!
- Visit bookshops and join the local library Bath is lucky to have a good library network and boasts many fabulous bookshops, both independent and national chains. Booksellers and librarians are always happy to chat about books and give recommendations, even to the most reluctant of readers.
- Use books as rewards and thank yous Did your teen do something great? Get them a book!
Why not give reading to your teen a try? You might even find your not-so-little kids rather enjoy spending quality reading time with you!
Laura Bridge has worked in schools, including Widcombe Junior School in Bath, for over 20 years. She is a mum to boys in Year 6 and Year 8. Laura has a Master of Education Degree in Children’s Literature and is currently working towards an MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University. Follow her on Twitter @laurabridge