{"id":1171,"date":"2023-03-07T21:11:30","date_gmt":"2023-03-07T21:11:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/?p=1171"},"modified":"2025-10-31T15:21:41","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T15:21:41","slug":"teacher-tips-for-practising-with-striving-readers-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.scholastic.ca\/scholasticblog\/2023\/03\/07\/teacher-tips-for-practising-with-striving-readers-at-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Teacher Tips for Practising with Striving Readers at Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your striving reader will be tearing through books in no time!<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><em>Originally published by Scholastic Parents on September 8, 2022<br>Versioned for Scholastic Canada<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>When your pre-teen striving readers need a little extra support in reading fluency and comprehension, finding the right approach to take in order to spark a lifelong love of reading makes all the difference. The good news is, it is absolutely doable when you\u2019re reading at home!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Follow these tips from Kris Hart, an experienced teacher and library media specialist in Iowa, to encourage reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Recognize the Characteristics of Reluctant Readers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>First thing\u2019s first: It\u2019s vital to understand the traits of reluctant or struggling readers from the get-go. That way, it\u2019ll be easier to understand where the specific issues lie and how best to counteract them.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a librarian, Hart can usually identify striving readers by their reading choices (or lack thereof).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey are often \u2018Book Abandoners,\u2019 where they give a book maybe the first page and then turn it back in,\u201d says Hart. \u201cOr they are a library wanderer and seem to get all around the library but never pick up a book to look at. Sometimes they just don\u2019t know what to pick or what they like.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where book recommendations come in handy. Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/classroomessentials.scholastic.ca\/en\/home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Scholastic\u2019s book lists<\/a> for more titles by age!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Don\u2019t Force It<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to creating a home reading routine and encouraging your pre-teen striving reader to pick up a book and read, it\u2019s best to not force it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTruly, the best thing you can do as a parent is to be an example of lifelong learners and readers,\u201d says Hart. \u201cIn all of my years of teaching, being a librarian, and being a mom to four children, I have seen some reading practice turn eager readers into reluctant readers. If you can find subjects that your child is interested in, then reading practice becomes part of the normal routine and it is looked at as learning.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another great (and adorable) way to encourage your child in home reading is to have them read their favourite books to family pets.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen children read to animals, they are more confident because they usually have a captive audience that is listening only,\u201d says Hart. \u201cIt is great practice for them to share their favourite stories. Plus, the animals benefit, so it\u2019s a win-win.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Follow Their Interests<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s nothing more important than to allow struggling readers to read what interests them the most. When children choose their own reading material, they are more likely to continue reading on their own.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI would like to stress here how vital it is that you find out what your child is interested in or passionate about,\u201d says Hart. \u201cFor example, if your child loves sharks, you can read articles from the Scholastic News or National Geographic about sharks.\u201d Plus, 89 percent of children prefer books they choose to read themselves, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/readingreport\/access-matters.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Scholastic <em>Kids &amp; Family Report<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Find the Right Books<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Hart recommends books that can serve as a jump-off point to independent reading, such as informational texts and <a href=\"https:\/\/classroomessentials.scholastic.ca\/s\/cec-ca\/en\/search?collid=Graphic%20Novels&amp;prefv1=Comics%20and%20Graphic%20Novels%20and%20Manga&amp;prefn1=supplies-cec-ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">graphic novels<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI do think graphic novels can be a wonderful gateway to the full novels of the same book,\u201d says Hart. \u201cI almost always steer reluctant readers to Lauren Tarshis\u2019 I Survived series \u2013 which have both novel and graphic versions. They are shorter, but full of action and adventure and based on true stories!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fun informational texts and books with facts are another great way to spark interest.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI have many reluctant readers who <em>love<\/em> to read World Record books,\u201d says Hart. \u201cThis would be so awesome for parents to read at home with their children and then look up those records and watch some of the videos.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/classroomessentials.scholastic.ca\/en\/-guinness-world-records-2023-\/87656433-cec-ca.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Guinness World Records 2023<\/em><\/a>, for example, is a great Scholastic title to explore!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Avoid Limitations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While it\u2019s effective to ask your reluctant reader to read every day according to a set schedule or routine, remember not to make it feel like a chore or to limit their reading materials to certain books.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMaking it a required activity or chore can have a damaging effect,\u201d says Hart. \u201cIt is important not to overcorrect or to criticize when they read. Also, don\u2019t limit what they read. It is perfectly okay if they want to read a graphic novel with you, or a book you have read with them many, many times.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Exploring different forms of reading material will broaden their horizons and make it more likely that they will seek it out on their own. Whether they\u2019re interested in newspapers, journals, magazines, or chapter books, allow them to read what piques their curiosity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your striving reader will be tearing through books in no time! Originally published by Scholastic Parents on September 8, 2022Versioned for Scholastic Canada When your pre-teen striving readers need a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1172,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[5,6,14,61,7,10,11,48],"class_list":["post-1171","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reading-tips","tag-book-clubs","tag-book-fairs","tag-books","tag-graphic-novels","tag-parents","tag-reading-aloud","tag-reading-fluency","tag-teachers"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Teacher Tips for Practising with Striving Readers at Home | Scholastic at School Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/parents\/books-and-reading\/raise-a-reader-blog\/struggling-readers.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Teacher Tips for Practising with Striving Readers at Home | Scholastic at School Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Your striving reader will be tearing through books in no time! 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