LN FD 2.4 English

This paper investigates the importance of reading for young children. It seeks to answer the question: How can I get children to read at home? The motivation of reading lies far back in the youthful years’ human being. There is a big misunderstanding. While parents fully support their children in the beginning, they neglect this behavior over time. After they reach the goal – independent reading skill – reading is no longer valuable. Once children go to school, parents may think that their job is done, and the teachers take responsibility for children’s literacy engagement. Conversely, the teachers may assume that the parents continue to do their work at home. Parents cannot ask their children to read when they are not a good role model themselves (Margaret, 2018, p. 216). The parents are an important variable but they do not have to bear all the responsibility for their children’s literacy engagement. There is also another variable that needs to be mentioned here: The teachers (Margaret, 2018, p. 214). Teachers should work together with parents. Only 10% of the teachers work with the parents. One way to collaborate is to prepare workshops for the parents in which they learn how to support reading at home. Especially wiling parents can acquire knowledge (Baker, 2003, p. 93). If children have the opportunity to start reading and enjoy reading early, then in subsequent years, they will tend to read frequently and generally. Parents who see reading as means to an end cannot bring the joy of reading to the children. It matters whether the encouragement is for enjoyment or school performance. They can ask their children to read when they believe that reading is a source of entertainment. Finally, they become a role model (Baker, 2003, p. 101). In the article from Oxford Learning good tips can be found on how to make reading at home easier for children. These points should be noted. The children should always be confronted with reading at home (Oxford Learning, 2017). There is a positive impact on children’s reading habits when parents read aloud at home (Stuart, Dixon, Masterson, Quinlan).