HOW TO GET YOUR CHILD TO LOVE WRITING

Reading is an essential part of a child's education and literature can improve how they grasp information (among many other benefits!). How can we get them to love it?

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In 2021, the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) reported that more than 8o% of Grade 4 learners could not read for meaning in any official language.

Last year, Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, chair of the 2023 Reading Panel, announced its mission to ensure that by 2030 all South African children could read for meaning by age 10. The panel seeks to provide lasting, apolitical solutions to ensure meaningful change that will allow every South African the opportunity to unlock the magic of literacy.

Their methods are aimed at reading at school, but what about reading at home? Well, for starters, it's about how you approach reading and not just about reading itself.

BEING VISUAL
For kids, a large part of understanding what they're reading is visual. If you're reading stories to your little ones, use animated voices and actions to help convey the story. Pictures may also be helpful in developing a love for stories, but understanding the forms and functions of text in a book is a crucial step in early literacy development. Some storybooks make use of fun typography, such as 'shaky' letters when someone is cold, or letters going from big to small if a lion roars. These are all clues to who is saying what and how.

Try this: Ask your kids why they think a word might be written in a different colour or font (such as bold or italic) or in a more playful way. For those who are a little older, you can ask them to choose words that showcase different parts of speech, such as vowels, verbs or adjectives.

CELEBRATE READING
If you want to raise readers, show them why it's great. Display your love for reading by your own good reading habits, talking about books and even sharing some of the things you've read.

This can include talking to them about some great writers that they might enjoy, like Dr Seuss and Roald Dahl. You could even use films that are based on books to help them see that stories can be enjoyable. This might prompt them to want to explore books more.

Try this: Make space for a book nook in your home - kids love them! Make it comfortable, with cushions and place to sit and lie down (and good lighting). This will allow your little one to create many happy memories of reading.

READ THE REAL STUFF
While fictional stories are great for stimulating imagination and creativity, non-fiction can help to broaden their perspectives, pique their curiosity and improve their general knowledge about the world. Books about wildlife, plants, the ocean, planets and space, countries and cultures can help them to learn about what's out there. Couple this with fictional stories and you've got all bases covered!

Try this: If you're reading a fictional book with characters and animals that are non-fictional, try to find non-fiction books related to those characters. Or, if you're visiting a new place, give your child books or articles about what they might see there (such as wildlife, nature or historical landmarks). This will help them better understand the world around them.

LET THEM ASK QUESTIONS
No matter how old you are, there are types of literature that can be confusing or difficult to understand. It's not uncommon for kids to need more explanation to truly understand parts of some stories. Allow time for your kids to ask you questions - and ask them questions, too. Who is the main character? What is your favourite part and why? What didn't you like? Is there anything you'd change about the story? This will help to nurture their inquisitive nature and the deeper emotional benefits of literature.

Try this: Keep a list of the questions from each book your kids have read. Use this list to guide the selection for the next book they'll read (or have read to them by you).

READ TOGETHER
Sometimes it feels like our kids are obsessed with us. And maybe they are! This can be a good thing, because it means we can create a positive environment for them to grow in. When you read together at bedtime or in your special reading nook, you can bond while learning more about what interests your child.

Try this: Set aside enough time to read books with your young children and give them a chance to interact more with the stories. If you have toddlers in the foundation phase, rereading rhyming books will help them improve their memory.

OUR TOP BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
– The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
– Into the Uncut Grass by Trevor Noah
– How Many Ways Can You Say Hello? by Refiloe Moahloli
– The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

– The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
– Wiggling Words by Kate Rolfe
– My First Book Series Various Authors
– Any books by Roald Dahl
– Any books by Dr Seuss
– Any books by Ben Hoare

By: Saadiqah Schroeder
Photography by: Shutterstock
Text courtesy of Jet magazine