How to Get Students to Love Reading?

Converting a student to learner is a time-taking process, while the primary task for any teacher is to make students learn what she is currently teaching; the long term teaching involves change in attitude of student from a passive observer to someone inquisitive for knowledge and learning. While hunger for knowledge is quintessential requirement, it cannot be achieved till student starts to love reading. This process of making students love reading is something which most teachers, parents , tutors find difficult and at times impossible.

However, making students love reading is not difficult but requires patient and dedicated efforts which begin by involving books not as matter of reference material or source of information but as way of life, a companion, a friend, as source of leisure. Keeping the above aim there are certain guidelines which when followed can help you in the process.

Start Early and Cumulatively

Nurturing desired habits into children is not a matter of teachers or parents alone but requires cumulative efforts. Therefore, a teacher, needs to make parents aware about the benefits of book reading not just textbooks of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics etc. The child spends a lot of time at home and feels comfortable around familiar surroundings. If the child finds books and other reading material at home in vicinity naturally she tends to look it up as way of life and builds stronger connection with habit of reading. As a teacher one needs to involve parents into this process and seek their help. The teacher should come up with suggestion regarding books that should be kept around depending on his age.

Making reading compulsory during classes

Teachers should fix certain time during classes only for reading and make students read during this time. With time this evolves as a habit and students find it as fun and enterprising part. Activities like reading to class and drop everything and read which allows children to take their mind away from all activities and only read should be encouraged.

Make students socialize around reading

Innovative methods like setting up of book clubs, reading groups, literature circles should be used, so as to convert reading from isolated activity to an activity with opportunity to interact and socialize. It greatly improves their comprehension skills and makes the experience much more enjoyable.

Teach how and what to read

Expecting each and every student to love reading without teaching them is unnatural. Making students aware of different genres like fiction, within fiction romantic, fantasy, famous authors in each genres, bestselling books etc, and making students aware of such information allows them to be better placed for indentifying books in line with their interests.

Off- School Activities

Reading should also become part of off-school activities like parents taking their children to public libraries, book –clubs, book-fairs. A more creative method is providing book allowance to children. This acts as a positive reinforcement towards browsing, discussing, and mining interest and related books into children. Parents could also subscribe for various magazines depending upon interests and age of their wards.

Appreciate

We tend to develop taste for activities that people appreciate us for, children are no different. As teachers and parents we need to appreciate our children for their efforts towards developing this fine taste. Appreciate you child for his collection of books, the way he takes care of his books, his knowledge on the matter that she got from reading the book. The above activities are neither exhaustive nor completely fail proof but if followed would definitely usher in desired changes.