Playtimes HK Magazine September 2017 Issue | Page 39

Ben Keeling, principal
of Shrewsbury
International, Hong
Kong, offers some
creative ways you can
encourage even the
most reluctant reader
to pick up a book
R
eading is an enormously
rewarding pursuit. It extends
vocabulary, verbal dexterity and
imagination. It helps to improve
your memory, broaden your thought
processes and combat stress. It is also
supposed to be fun… at least that’s what
your parents tell you.
While many children love to read, others
find it hard work. They find themselves
bored or distracted and will quickly choose
to move on to something more immediately
rewarding. It is important to remember that
these are not fixed states. Reading takes
time, patience and commitment - from
both parent and child!
So how can parents help children move
from reluctant to relentless?
Before shifting smoothly towards the
almost inevitably entitled top tips, we
must address the elephant in the room:
reading should be fun. Nothing is less
fun than hard slog. Reading for pleasure
requires easy access, absolute fluency
and engaging material. If your child is
showing signs of distaste, make sure that
they have access to books that they are
able to read. While you can’t force a child
to enjoy themselves, you can provide an
environment which stokes both curiosity
and motivation.
September 2017
37