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Raising Kids Who Read: What Parents and Teachers Can Do
How parents and educators can teach kids to love reading in the digital age Everyone agrees that reading is important, but kids today tend to lose interest in reading before adolescence. In Raising Kids Who Read , bestselling author and psychology professor Daniel T. Willingham explains this phenomenon and provides practical solutions for engendering a love of reading that lasts into adulthood. Like Willingham's much-lauded previous work, Why Don't Students Like School? , this new book combines evidence-based analysis with engaging, insightful recommendations for the future. Intellectually rich argumentation is woven seamlessly with entertaining current cultural references, examples, and steps for taking action to encourage reading. The three key elements for reading enthusiasm―decoding, comprehension, and motivation―are explained in depth in Raising Kids Who Read . Teachers and parents alike will appreciate the practical orientation toward supporting these three elements from birth through adolescence. Most books on the topic focus on early childhood, but Willingham understands that kids' needs change as they grow older, and the science-based approach in Raising Kids Who Read applies to kids of all ages. Debunking the myths about reading education, Raising Kids Who Read will empower you to share the joy of reading with kids from preschool through high school.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 20, 2015
82 people are currently reading
1766 people want to read
About the author
Daniel T. Willingham
20 books232 followersDaniel Willingham earned his B.A. from Duke University in 1983 and his Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from Harvard University in 1990. He is currently Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, where he has taught since 1992. Until about 2000, his research focused solely on the brain basis of learning and memory. Today, all of his research concerns the application of cognitive psychology to K-12 education. He writes the “Ask the Cognitive Scientist” column for American Educator magazine, and is an Associate Editor of Mind, Brain, and Education. He is also the author of Why Don't Students Like School? (Jossey-Bass) and When Can You Trust the Experts? (Jossey-Bass). His writing on education has been translated into ten languages.
from http://www.danielwillingham.com/about...
from http://www.danielwillingham.com/about...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
May 6, 2015
Daniel Willingham offers many suggestions for engaging children with reading, but I was surprised that a book based on "research" ignored many of the thought leaders in reading research such as Richard Allington, Arthur Applebee, Judith Langer, Alfred Tatum, Stephen Krashen, Linda Gambrell, Jeffery Wilhelm, Louise Rosenblatt, Elizabeth Moje, Peter Johnston, P. David Pearson, Donald Graves (and so many others).
Willingham also fails to acknowledge (or credit) the substantial body of work from teacher practitioners such as Lucy Calkins, Nancie Atwell, Penny Kittle, Linda Rief, Laura Robb, Frank Serafini, Ellin Keene, Stephanie Harvey, Cris Tovani, Teri Lesesne, Kylene Beers, Chris Lehman, Kathy Collins, Jennifer Serravallo, Smokey Daniels and others--teachers who have actually used research-based practices in their classrooms with thousands of children.
Without K-12 classroom teaching experience, reading research studies of his own, or deeper roots in established best practices for reading instruction, I don't understand how Dr. Willingham can claim credibility in our field.
I do appreciate and respect Dr. Willingham's expertise as a cognitive psychologist, and the best parts of this book for me were the pieces he included about brain development.
Willingham also fails to acknowledge (or credit) the substantial body of work from teacher practitioners such as Lucy Calkins, Nancie Atwell, Penny Kittle, Linda Rief, Laura Robb, Frank Serafini, Ellin Keene, Stephanie Harvey, Cris Tovani, Teri Lesesne, Kylene Beers, Chris Lehman, Kathy Collins, Jennifer Serravallo, Smokey Daniels and others--teachers who have actually used research-based practices in their classrooms with thousands of children.
Without K-12 classroom teaching experience, reading research studies of his own, or deeper roots in established best practices for reading instruction, I don't understand how Dr. Willingham can claim credibility in our field.
I do appreciate and respect Dr. Willingham's expertise as a cognitive psychologist, and the best parts of this book for me were the pieces he included about brain development.
April 25, 2015
As the subtitle explains, this book is wisely meant for both parents AND teachers -- and not just of youngsters, but of kids all the way through middle and high school. While a lot of the advice on reading is practical, it is also, per Willingham's trademark calling card, based on research. Thus, some of your cherished beliefs may be up for revision (all rewards and praise work -- they don't; all aspects of technology work against reading -- not true). In other words, nothing is cut and dried, and research likes shades of gray, so read up on it.
The book is organized by age of the child, with parts dedicated to "Birth Through Preschool," "Kindergarten Through Second Grade," and "Third Grade and Beyond." There's information on decoding, comprehension, the all-important background knowledge, fluency, and yes, motivation. At the end of each chapter, Willingham offers a "Keeping It Simple Summary" with bullet points of very basic highlights to remember. Notes are inserted at chapters' ends (vs. book's end) as well.
The best part? The book is practical. There is advice for both parents and teachers on optimizing odds that Johnny and Suzie will grow to be recreational readers. No, not nerds who read instead of doing cool stuff like the Internet and gaming, but kids who realize that reading is another pleasure of life to go beside those electronic pastimes -- a different pleasure in life, too. One with its own distinct rewards. At just under 200 pp. with plenty of pictures, it's a fast read. If you care about reading, worth your dime. Or your hold at the library.
The book is organized by age of the child, with parts dedicated to "Birth Through Preschool," "Kindergarten Through Second Grade," and "Third Grade and Beyond." There's information on decoding, comprehension, the all-important background knowledge, fluency, and yes, motivation. At the end of each chapter, Willingham offers a "Keeping It Simple Summary" with bullet points of very basic highlights to remember. Notes are inserted at chapters' ends (vs. book's end) as well.
The best part? The book is practical. There is advice for both parents and teachers on optimizing odds that Johnny and Suzie will grow to be recreational readers. No, not nerds who read instead of doing cool stuff like the Internet and gaming, but kids who realize that reading is another pleasure of life to go beside those electronic pastimes -- a different pleasure in life, too. One with its own distinct rewards. At just under 200 pp. with plenty of pictures, it's a fast read. If you care about reading, worth your dime. Or your hold at the library.
March 26, 2015
"Raising Kids who Read" is a good practical guide on...wait for it...raising children who read, particularly who enjoy leisure reading. I particularly liked the developmental information, which eased my mind from stressing about how to teach phonics and produce an early reader to assuring me that, well, it didn't really matter when my daughters learn to decode characters--the more valuable things a parent can do are educate them broadly and normalize a love of reading. I have to read to show my daughter that reading is valuable? Awwwww, if you -insist-.
This is a good book, but unfortunately I can't imagine it being read by the audience that actually needs it. I found very little practical advice on what to do simply because we are already doing these things. Books in the house? You could say that. Reading books ourselves? Guilty. Reading to our daughters? Got it. Broader life experiences? Well, we try. I just can't imagine this book being picked up by people not already doing these things.
The remaining practical step is, of course, limiting screen time. This is great in theory, but until dinner learns to cook itself, somewhat theoretical. Still, for its descriptions of reading development and how best to complement formal education - it's NOT teaching your kids phonics or sitting them in front of worksheets - this is definitely worth reading.
This is a good book, but unfortunately I can't imagine it being read by the audience that actually needs it. I found very little practical advice on what to do simply because we are already doing these things. Books in the house? You could say that. Reading books ourselves? Guilty. Reading to our daughters? Got it. Broader life experiences? Well, we try. I just can't imagine this book being picked up by people not already doing these things.
The remaining practical step is, of course, limiting screen time. This is great in theory, but until dinner learns to cook itself, somewhat theoretical. Still, for its descriptions of reading development and how best to complement formal education - it's NOT teaching your kids phonics or sitting them in front of worksheets - this is definitely worth reading.
February 7, 2024
4.5 stars
"If you want to raise a reader, your child must decode easily, comprehend what he reads, and be motivated to read."
This book is a guide for how parents can help their child achieve these three things. There's nothing really new in this book so I'm not sure why I enjoyed it so much other than being like a fan cheering from the stands. It had lots of good reminders about how to get kids reading and keep them reading. I would definitely recommend it to new parents or parents of reluctant readers. If you're looking for a book that will present the research or science of reading as a process, this isn't it. This book focused on practical do's and don'ts of cultivating a love of reading.
Contents:
Introduction: Have Fun, Start Now
1. The Science of Reading
Part I: BIRTH THROUGH PRESCHOOL
2. Preparing Your Child to Learn to Decode
3. Creating a Thirst for Knowledge
4. Seeing themselves as Readers before They Can Read
Part II: KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SECOND GRADE
5. Learning to Decode
6. Banking Knowledge for the Future
7. Preventing a Motivation Backslide
Part III: THIRD GRADE AND BEYOND
8. Reading with Fluency
9. Working with More Complex Texts
10. The Reluctant Older Reader
Conclusion
Appendix: Accessing the Bonus Web Content
Suggestions for Further Reading
Works Cited
A few excerpts and ideas noted from the book:
Comprehension from background knowledge makes the most difference. So while learning to decode is important, being read to is often more important. "By age nine or so, your child will likely be a competent decoder. When that happens, his ability to comprehend what he reads will depend heavily on his background knowledge. The time to begin that learning is not, however, at age nine. The time to begin is infancy."
By age 11, everyone is about the same at decoding, so background knowledge takes a central role rather abruptly as reading shifts from being mostly about decoding from kindergarten through second grade to being mostly about comprehension in third grade and beyond. The so called "fourth-grade slump" is due to poor comprehension from lack of background knowledge.
Read-alouds help toddlers gain broader vocabulary and understand more complex syntax. Even preschoolers' books have richer vocabulary than that used by college-educated adults in typical conversations. Read-alouds don't help children learn how to read when they get to kindergarten, because at that age they are learning to decode. The benefit of reading aloud is a benefit to the child's knowledge and vocabulary, and so it doesn't really appear until grade 3-4. The author lists read-aloud tips for parents. My favorite tip is "use a dramatic voice." I love getting into stories and acting them out as if reading a script for a play. :)
Motivation is fueled by positive attitudes and a concept of oneself as a reader. Attitude and self-concept are driven by experiences. The author talks a lot about creating reading experiences that are positive and memorable like child sitting in lap, fireside reading, bedtime snuggles, or even indulging in a special drink which changes with the season like lemonade or hot cocoa. Author also says "Family traditions reveal what you value enough to repeat, and -if done with love - build warm, happy associations."
One of the points the author makes about building your child's self-concept as a reader also applies to building their self-concept of being a Christian. (This is just a side note for myself) I say this because as the world and culture crumbles, it becomes more important to set family values and behaviors distinct from the world.
Example:
We ARE the type of family that does X. We are NOT the type of family that does Y.
Applied to reading, this could be:
We ARE the type of family that reads every evening for pleasure.
We are NOT the type of family that binge watches TV every night for entertainment.
On the section of getting your children to read:
Reading must be the most attractive choice available at the moment the decision is made. For parents that make TV, iPad, and video games always available, there's little chance your kid will pickup a book for pleasure. Parents might say something like "Read for 30 minutes then you can have screen time." This kind of attitude toward reading is not viewing reading as a reward but rather a means to an end.
"The consequence of long-term experience with digital technologies is not an inability to sustain attention. It's impatience with boredom." A lot of kids and adults today don't read because we have a very low threshold for boredom due to high-stimulation digital technology.
"Kids need to know that they can depend on themselves -not a screen, not a parent - for entertainment." Personally I cringe a little bit when I hear friends of mine talk about how they have TV screens in the backseats of their cars. This replaces conversations with their kids or time that could be spent listening to beautiful music or audiobooks. If meant to be an exception, it quickly becomes the rule and then kids don't know how to be bored anymore.
In the chapter "Learning to Decode"
"The argument suggests that what makes it unnatural and difficult is the process of drilling children in letters. Instead, we should immerse children in reading and writing tasks that are pleasurable and authentic."
A lot of small kids have the ability to memorize short stories "and so when they 'read' it to you, you can tell they are pretty much reciting. It's not that they are dodging the harder work od decoding. Rather, they are enjoying a glimpse of what it's like to truly read, and that's a powerful motivator."
Idea to make list/goal of reading "x" amount of books in different genres. They pick the book as long as it's in that genre to get more exposure to genres they wouldn't pickup otherwise & might enjoy.
Great reading teachers create opportunities for students to see themselves as successful readers. ...classrooms that boost reading motivation offer opportunities for student choice. The purpose of choice os, as you'd expect, for students to feel greater ownership of and commitment to their reading.
"If you want to raise a reader, your child must decode easily, comprehend what he reads, and be motivated to read."
This book is a guide for how parents can help their child achieve these three things. There's nothing really new in this book so I'm not sure why I enjoyed it so much other than being like a fan cheering from the stands. It had lots of good reminders about how to get kids reading and keep them reading. I would definitely recommend it to new parents or parents of reluctant readers. If you're looking for a book that will present the research or science of reading as a process, this isn't it. This book focused on practical do's and don'ts of cultivating a love of reading.
Contents:
Introduction: Have Fun, Start Now
1. The Science of Reading
Part I: BIRTH THROUGH PRESCHOOL
2. Preparing Your Child to Learn to Decode
3. Creating a Thirst for Knowledge
4. Seeing themselves as Readers before They Can Read
Part II: KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SECOND GRADE
5. Learning to Decode
6. Banking Knowledge for the Future
7. Preventing a Motivation Backslide
Part III: THIRD GRADE AND BEYOND
8. Reading with Fluency
9. Working with More Complex Texts
10. The Reluctant Older Reader
Conclusion
Appendix: Accessing the Bonus Web Content
Suggestions for Further Reading
Works Cited
A few excerpts and ideas noted from the book:
Comprehension from background knowledge makes the most difference. So while learning to decode is important, being read to is often more important. "By age nine or so, your child will likely be a competent decoder. When that happens, his ability to comprehend what he reads will depend heavily on his background knowledge. The time to begin that learning is not, however, at age nine. The time to begin is infancy."
By age 11, everyone is about the same at decoding, so background knowledge takes a central role rather abruptly as reading shifts from being mostly about decoding from kindergarten through second grade to being mostly about comprehension in third grade and beyond. The so called "fourth-grade slump" is due to poor comprehension from lack of background knowledge.
Read-alouds help toddlers gain broader vocabulary and understand more complex syntax. Even preschoolers' books have richer vocabulary than that used by college-educated adults in typical conversations. Read-alouds don't help children learn how to read when they get to kindergarten, because at that age they are learning to decode. The benefit of reading aloud is a benefit to the child's knowledge and vocabulary, and so it doesn't really appear until grade 3-4. The author lists read-aloud tips for parents. My favorite tip is "use a dramatic voice." I love getting into stories and acting them out as if reading a script for a play. :)
Motivation is fueled by positive attitudes and a concept of oneself as a reader. Attitude and self-concept are driven by experiences. The author talks a lot about creating reading experiences that are positive and memorable like child sitting in lap, fireside reading, bedtime snuggles, or even indulging in a special drink which changes with the season like lemonade or hot cocoa. Author also says "Family traditions reveal what you value enough to repeat, and -if done with love - build warm, happy associations."
One of the points the author makes about building your child's self-concept as a reader also applies to building their self-concept of being a Christian. (This is just a side note for myself) I say this because as the world and culture crumbles, it becomes more important to set family values and behaviors distinct from the world.
Example:
We ARE the type of family that does X. We are NOT the type of family that does Y.
Applied to reading, this could be:
We ARE the type of family that reads every evening for pleasure.
We are NOT the type of family that binge watches TV every night for entertainment.
On the section of getting your children to read:
Reading must be the most attractive choice available at the moment the decision is made. For parents that make TV, iPad, and video games always available, there's little chance your kid will pickup a book for pleasure. Parents might say something like "Read for 30 minutes then you can have screen time." This kind of attitude toward reading is not viewing reading as a reward but rather a means to an end.
"The consequence of long-term experience with digital technologies is not an inability to sustain attention. It's impatience with boredom." A lot of kids and adults today don't read because we have a very low threshold for boredom due to high-stimulation digital technology.
"Kids need to know that they can depend on themselves -not a screen, not a parent - for entertainment." Personally I cringe a little bit when I hear friends of mine talk about how they have TV screens in the backseats of their cars. This replaces conversations with their kids or time that could be spent listening to beautiful music or audiobooks. If meant to be an exception, it quickly becomes the rule and then kids don't know how to be bored anymore.
In the chapter "Learning to Decode"
"The argument suggests that what makes it unnatural and difficult is the process of drilling children in letters. Instead, we should immerse children in reading and writing tasks that are pleasurable and authentic."
A lot of small kids have the ability to memorize short stories "and so when they 'read' it to you, you can tell they are pretty much reciting. It's not that they are dodging the harder work od decoding. Rather, they are enjoying a glimpse of what it's like to truly read, and that's a powerful motivator."
Idea to make list/goal of reading "x" amount of books in different genres. They pick the book as long as it's in that genre to get more exposure to genres they wouldn't pickup otherwise & might enjoy.
Great reading teachers create opportunities for students to see themselves as successful readers. ...classrooms that boost reading motivation offer opportunities for student choice. The purpose of choice os, as you'd expect, for students to feel greater ownership of and commitment to their reading.
June 12, 2022
On the whole, this book will be more useful as a toolkit for parents than for teachers. But, the advice laid out, while sometimes obvious, is practical to implement. I learned something about the different stages of reading, which could be interesting to an even broader audience than just parents and teachers. My favorite part of this book though is that Willingham wrote it to simply encourage children to love to read, not to promote or achieve a particular goal, like competing with other nations purported reading levels or qualifying for certain colleges or careers. The stated purpose of this book is for kids to figure out why and what makes them enjoy reading--which may be very different from their parents/teachers--and then to have them go forth and read. Very refreshing.
August 19, 2020
The book was published in 2005 but is still a good reminder about some of the fundamentals of reading instruction and then support at home. Even in 2005, there was plenty of acknowledgement in how the internet was changing some things but clearly not as significant as a reader in 2018 would want to see (and maybe their reason for reading the book).
It’s laid out well and flows easily and isn’t too science- based and not too social- based but somewhere in the middle.
My biggest takeaways are finding a way to connect with a reader’s self-concept as a way to guide and steer them.
It’s laid out well and flows easily and isn’t too science- based and not too social- based but somewhere in the middle.
My biggest takeaways are finding a way to connect with a reader’s self-concept as a way to guide and steer them.
May 13, 2023
This book highlights the science of learning to tead, followed by practical strategies to help children learn to love reading by focusingbon decoding, comprehension, and motivation.
interesting quotes:
"Reading during your leisure time makes you smarter. Leisure readers grow up to get better jobs and make more money. Readers are better informed about current events, and so make better citizens.
These motives are not unreasonable, but they are not my motives...I want them to read because I think reading offers experiences otherwise unavailable. There are other ways to learn, other ways to empathize with our fellow human beings, other ways to appreciate beauty; but the texture of these experiences is different when we read." (p. 4)
"...three foundational principles...
(1)the sounds that letters make (not their shape) pose the real challenge as children learn to read orint, (2) comprehending what we read depends mostly on our general knowledge about the topic, and (3) the key to motivation lies in getting kids to read even when they aren't motivated to do so." (p. 7)
"...four factors go into whether the child will choose to read a book: (1) the pleasure she thinks the book might offer, (2) her judgment as to the likelihood that she'll actually experience that pleasure if she tries to read it,(3) what cost she anticipates that reading the book would incur, (4) and what she might choose to do instead of read." (p. 65)
"Being resourceful about entertaining oneself is a skill like any other. Children must learn it, and you can actively promote this learning." (p. 69)
"I want my children to be gracious when things come easily and determined when they don't. I'm not going to implicitly suggest they abandon things I believe are important when the going gets tough." (p. 189)
"" (p. )
interesting quotes:
"Reading during your leisure time makes you smarter. Leisure readers grow up to get better jobs and make more money. Readers are better informed about current events, and so make better citizens.
These motives are not unreasonable, but they are not my motives...I want them to read because I think reading offers experiences otherwise unavailable. There are other ways to learn, other ways to empathize with our fellow human beings, other ways to appreciate beauty; but the texture of these experiences is different when we read." (p. 4)
"...three foundational principles...
(1)the sounds that letters make (not their shape) pose the real challenge as children learn to read orint, (2) comprehending what we read depends mostly on our general knowledge about the topic, and (3) the key to motivation lies in getting kids to read even when they aren't motivated to do so." (p. 7)
"...four factors go into whether the child will choose to read a book: (1) the pleasure she thinks the book might offer, (2) her judgment as to the likelihood that she'll actually experience that pleasure if she tries to read it,(3) what cost she anticipates that reading the book would incur, (4) and what she might choose to do instead of read." (p. 65)
"Being resourceful about entertaining oneself is a skill like any other. Children must learn it, and you can actively promote this learning." (p. 69)
"I want my children to be gracious when things come easily and determined when they don't. I'm not going to implicitly suggest they abandon things I believe are important when the going gets tough." (p. 189)
"" (p. )
December 28, 2025
Worth the read!! Important topic!
March 21, 2015
5 stars for parents, 4 for teachers. I like the author's idea that reading has value. Reading is how most broad general knowledge is gained. He gives some great advice for preschools - learning the alphabet isn't as important as learning about the world. He also suggests to parents to answer their child's questions (even the most responsive parents don't answer something like 25% of the time). Another idea for parents of preschoolers is to not just give commands, but ask a lot of questions to show that the purpose of language is to acquire new knowledge, not just communicating one's wishes. The book continues to give advice through childhood up to teens. I love the idea of having a family reading time, or listening to an audiobook together. The focus is that reading is pleasurable.There is some sound advice for teachers to use silent reading time without charts/rewards. Students choose what to read, have access to lots of books, hold book discussions/give recommendations, and committing at least a 20 minute chunk of time. There's some great ideas on increasing comprehension and encouraging reluctant readers. It's an easily read book which is nice for parents, but not as in-depth as teachers may be looking for in professional reading.
October 18, 2020
I especially like chapter 10: The reluctant older reader. The 14-16 age group concerns me the most, as over the years I have see all too often the drastic drop in reading for pleasure in this demographic as the increasing demands of academic work and social pressure takes away personal time for reading.
Simply and effectively, Willingham presents the psychological issues with reward or coercion when it comes to reading, and makes a clear case for encouraging reading for pleasure.
For those who don't read the book but happen to read this, here is the Keeping It Simple Summary:
At School:
A distinction between academic reading and pleasure reading
Rewards and coercion used as a last resort
Pleasure reading in classrooms, coupled with instruction during these sessions
At Home:
Don't nag, praise, criticise content, or otherwise control your child's reading
Seek ways to involve your child in a peer network of readers
Make it easy to access books
Help your child to find a good time and place to read.
Start now, and have fun.
Simply and effectively, Willingham presents the psychological issues with reward or coercion when it comes to reading, and makes a clear case for encouraging reading for pleasure.
For those who don't read the book but happen to read this, here is the Keeping It Simple Summary:
At School:
A distinction between academic reading and pleasure reading
Rewards and coercion used as a last resort
Pleasure reading in classrooms, coupled with instruction during these sessions
At Home:
Don't nag, praise, criticise content, or otherwise control your child's reading
Seek ways to involve your child in a peer network of readers
Make it easy to access books
Help your child to find a good time and place to read.
Start now, and have fun.
January 26, 2018
هو كتاب مفيد رغم الأسلوب الجاف شبه الأكاديمي والنظرة التقليدية البعيدة عن الإبداع .
كما أني أعجبت بجهد المترجمة ومركز التعريب حيث تم التصرف في الكتاب ليناسب القارئ العربي خصوصا في الأمثلة والصور.
تلخيص ما استفدته من الكتاب:
للقراءة هنا معنى أعم و أوسع من مجرد القدرة على القراءة بفك رموز الحروف والكلمات
فعند بلوغ سن التاسعة سيكون الطالب قادرا على فك رموز الكلمات بكفاءة لكن قدرته على فهم ما يقرؤه تعتمد على الخلفية المعرفية التي كونها
لذلك يركز الكاتب على أهمية بناء القاعدة المعرفية للطفل و خلق حالة من التعطش للمعرفة.
نصائح للمرحلة العمرية من سن الثانية حتى الخامسة:
- حاول ان لا تبالغ في تبسيط مفرداتك
- أجب عن أسئلة أطفالك لتنمية حب الاستطلاع لديهم و لكي يعرفوا العالم الذي يعيشون فيه
- اقرأ لهم بصوت مرتفع
- بالتحفيز نستطيع أن نجعل الطفل يرى نفسه قارئا حتى قبل أن يكون قادراً على القراءة؟
- كن مثالا يحتذى لأولادك في حب القراءة و حب المعرفة
- عبر من خلال الكلمات والافعال عن أن القراءة واكتساب المعرفة عن العالم من قيمكم الأسرية
- غير البيئة المحيطة لجعل القراءة النشاط المتوفر والأكثر جاذبية
بعد ذلك يذكر الكاتب انه على الرغم من الموقف الإيجابي من القراءة السائد لدى الأطفال العاديين في السنوات الأولى من المرحلة الابتدائية، إلا أن الطفل يزداد سلبية سنة تلو أخرى حيث يصبح عند وصوله إلى سن البلوغ غير مبال أو سلبي تجاه القراءة. و للحيلولة دون انتكاس الدافعية يبين الكاتب إرشادات في المدرسة اهمها :
-أن يكون المعلم قارئا حتى يصبح مثالا
- و أن تحتل القراءة مساحة مهمة في الصف.
أما إرشادات المنزل فكان أهمها:
- الدعم وإيجاد المناسبات التي تخدم فيها القراءة والكتابة على نحو مفيد
- غرس مفهوم أن القراءة متعة وليست مهارة.
لا ينصح الكاتب باستخدام أسلوب الجوائز والمكافآت لأن الهدف يجب تنمية حب القراءة و التمتع بها وليس الطمع بالمكافأة التي ستؤثر سلبا في المستقبل عندما تختفي المكافآت الجاهزة فتموت الرغبة في القراءة.
- إذا كان أولادك يقرؤون شيئا فلا تحكم عليه سلفاً بمدح أو ذم..تذكر أن هدفك أن يستمتع ابنك بالقراءة، لا أن يستمتع بها على طريقتك
- حاول ان تدخل ابنك في شبكة من القراء تجمع اقرانه
- اجعل الوصول إلى الكتاب سهلا
- وساعد ابنك على إيجاد المكان والوقت المناسبين للقراءة
أما عن العصر الرقمي:
لقد أصبح الأولاد يقرؤون بشكل أكبر والمعرفة متوفرة اذا بحثت عنها لكن معظم ما يقرؤه متوسط الأولاد ليس غنيا من حيث المحتوى
كما أن الطلاب نادراً ما يقيمون بنظرة ثاقبة المعلومة التي يجدونها على الشبكة والمعلومة الخاطئة تنتشر في الشبكة العنكبوتية كالنار في الهشيم وبالتالي على الأولاد أن يكونوا أكثر فطنة حيال ما يقرؤونه هناك.
يجب بذل الجهود لتعليم الطلاب كيف يكونوا قراء ناقدين للمعلومة على النت من خلال تعليم تقنيات مثل تقييم موثوقية الكاتب وتحديد المجال ومراقبة موعد تحديث الصفحة...
لا شيء يضاهي متعة القراءة.. متعة الفهم ... متعة المعرفة
ابدؤوا الآن. .. واستمتعوا
كما أني أعجبت بجهد المترجمة ومركز التعريب حيث تم التصرف في الكتاب ليناسب القارئ العربي خصوصا في الأمثلة والصور.
تلخيص ما استفدته من الكتاب:
للقراءة هنا معنى أعم و أوسع من مجرد القدرة على القراءة بفك رموز الحروف والكلمات
فعند بلوغ سن التاسعة سيكون الطالب قادرا على فك رموز الكلمات بكفاءة لكن قدرته على فهم ما يقرؤه تعتمد على الخلفية المعرفية التي كونها
لذلك يركز الكاتب على أهمية بناء القاعدة المعرفية للطفل و خلق حالة من التعطش للمعرفة.
نصائح للمرحلة العمرية من سن الثانية حتى الخامسة:
- حاول ان لا تبالغ في تبسيط مفرداتك
- أجب عن أسئلة أطفالك لتنمية حب الاستطلاع لديهم و لكي يعرفوا العالم الذي يعيشون فيه
- اقرأ لهم بصوت مرتفع
- بالتحفيز نستطيع أن نجعل الطفل يرى نفسه قارئا حتى قبل أن يكون قادراً على القراءة؟
- كن مثالا يحتذى لأولادك في حب القراءة و حب المعرفة
- عبر من خلال الكلمات والافعال عن أن القراءة واكتساب المعرفة عن العالم من قيمكم الأسرية
- غير البيئة المحيطة لجعل القراءة النشاط المتوفر والأكثر جاذبية
بعد ذلك يذكر الكاتب انه على الرغم من الموقف الإيجابي من القراءة السائد لدى الأطفال العاديين في السنوات الأولى من المرحلة الابتدائية، إلا أن الطفل يزداد سلبية سنة تلو أخرى حيث يصبح عند وصوله إلى سن البلوغ غير مبال أو سلبي تجاه القراءة. و للحيلولة دون انتكاس الدافعية يبين الكاتب إرشادات في المدرسة اهمها :
-أن يكون المعلم قارئا حتى يصبح مثالا
- و أن تحتل القراءة مساحة مهمة في الصف.
أما إرشادات المنزل فكان أهمها:
- الدعم وإيجاد المناسبات التي تخدم فيها القراءة والكتابة على نحو مفيد
- غرس مفهوم أن القراءة متعة وليست مهارة.
لا ينصح الكاتب باستخدام أسلوب الجوائز والمكافآت لأن الهدف يجب تنمية حب القراءة و التمتع بها وليس الطمع بالمكافأة التي ستؤثر سلبا في المستقبل عندما تختفي المكافآت الجاهزة فتموت الرغبة في القراءة.
- إذا كان أولادك يقرؤون شيئا فلا تحكم عليه سلفاً بمدح أو ذم..تذكر أن هدفك أن يستمتع ابنك بالقراءة، لا أن يستمتع بها على طريقتك
- حاول ان تدخل ابنك في شبكة من القراء تجمع اقرانه
- اجعل الوصول إلى الكتاب سهلا
- وساعد ابنك على إيجاد المكان والوقت المناسبين للقراءة
أما عن العصر الرقمي:
لقد أصبح الأولاد يقرؤون بشكل أكبر والمعرفة متوفرة اذا بحثت عنها لكن معظم ما يقرؤه متوسط الأولاد ليس غنيا من حيث المحتوى
كما أن الطلاب نادراً ما يقيمون بنظرة ثاقبة المعلومة التي يجدونها على الشبكة والمعلومة الخاطئة تنتشر في الشبكة العنكبوتية كالنار في الهشيم وبالتالي على الأولاد أن يكونوا أكثر فطنة حيال ما يقرؤونه هناك.
يجب بذل الجهود لتعليم الطلاب كيف يكونوا قراء ناقدين للمعلومة على النت من خلال تعليم تقنيات مثل تقييم موثوقية الكاتب وتحديد المجال ومراقبة موعد تحديث الصفحة...
لا شيء يضاهي متعة القراءة.. متعة الفهم ... متعة المعرفة
ابدؤوا الآن. .. واستمتعوا
May 6, 2015
this book is 'nice' if you're a parent or a teacher. Willingham gives lots of advice and uses research in doing so. However: I was surprised that none of the leading and aknowledged reading-researchers such as Allington, Ehri, and others appear in this book. Furthermote: it is a lot of text to read through before you get to the point. I had expected more from this book. Having said that: there is no wrong advice and every book that helps children become litterate and that helps parents and teacher become more aware of the importance of reading, is a good book.
July 7, 2016
As a parent, I felt like this book was really helpful, interesting, and fun to read. It does a great job of explaining what is going on in school and how you can supplement that at home without being overwhelming or alarmist.
I'm not sure how helpful this book would actually be for teachers. But I think it's great for parents.
I'm not sure how helpful this book would actually be for teachers. But I think it's great for parents.
July 8, 2017
في أفكار جدا ممتازة طبعا انا أخذتة لاتعلم القراءة بالغة الانقليزية انا شفتك ممتاز لأشخاص حابين يتعلمون لغة لغير لغتهم لان هم مستواهم صفر راح يكون
October 1, 2017
كيف ننشيء جيلا يقرأ(أساليب يمكن الأهل والمدرسين اتباعها)/ دانيال ويلينغلهام
امتلأ الكتاب بالتكرار وأسلوبه الممل في الطرح، لا جديد في كل الأساليب ولا يوجد بها شيء مبتكر، وكلها بديهية يقوم بها بعض الأسر منذ نعومة أظفار أطفالهم يهيئون أجواء تشجعيعة حسب حاجة طفلهم للقراءة ان كانو راغبين في توجيهه لذلك الفعل، أما الأسر التي لا تولي لذلك عناية فلن تلتفت لهذه الأساليب.
قد يجد البعض الكتاب مساعدا لهم في تقديم بعض الأفكار أو تذكيرهم بها، حيث ركز الكاتب على المراحل الأولية للطفل قبل دخول الحضانه، ثم دخول الحضانة والمدرسة وجزء صغير لمن تخطى المرحلة المتوسطة ويقدم بعد كل فصل خلاصة لن تجد بها شيئا مثيرا، انما توجيهات بنظري المتواضع قد لا تخدمنا في شيء كمثال أن تكون المعلمة قارئة حتى تؤثر في طلبتها، وهذا غير متوفر لدينا للأسف الشديد فلا يمكن تحقيقه، حيث أن وجود معلمين قارئين ضئيل جدا ولا يخطر لهم ان يشجعو طلبتهم نحو ذلك لأن هناك هدفية أو خطة معينه للتعليم لم تضف القراءة من ضمنها.
255صفحة كان بامكان الكاتب اختصارها في100صفحة لتحقيق المنفعة المرجوة.
#فاطمة_الشيخ_محمد_الناصر
#كتاب_من_مكتبتي
#قراءة_كتاب
امتلأ الكتاب بالتكرار وأسلوبه الممل في الطرح، لا جديد في كل الأساليب ولا يوجد بها شيء مبتكر، وكلها بديهية يقوم بها بعض الأسر منذ نعومة أظفار أطفالهم يهيئون أجواء تشجعيعة حسب حاجة طفلهم للقراءة ان كانو راغبين في توجيهه لذلك الفعل، أما الأسر التي لا تولي لذلك عناية فلن تلتفت لهذه الأساليب.
قد يجد البعض الكتاب مساعدا لهم في تقديم بعض الأفكار أو تذكيرهم بها، حيث ركز الكاتب على المراحل الأولية للطفل قبل دخول الحضانه، ثم دخول الحضانة والمدرسة وجزء صغير لمن تخطى المرحلة المتوسطة ويقدم بعد كل فصل خلاصة لن تجد بها شيئا مثيرا، انما توجيهات بنظري المتواضع قد لا تخدمنا في شيء كمثال أن تكون المعلمة قارئة حتى تؤثر في طلبتها، وهذا غير متوفر لدينا للأسف الشديد فلا يمكن تحقيقه، حيث أن وجود معلمين قارئين ضئيل جدا ولا يخطر لهم ان يشجعو طلبتهم نحو ذلك لأن هناك هدفية أو خطة معينه للتعليم لم تضف القراءة من ضمنها.
255صفحة كان بامكان الكاتب اختصارها في100صفحة لتحقيق المنفعة المرجوة.
#فاطمة_الشيخ_محمد_الناصر
#كتاب_من_مكتبتي
#قراءة_كتاب
May 12, 2022
I might be a bit too harsh in my rating here. This book is not terrible, and it’s not really mediocre, either. Maybe I was just expecting it to be something it was never intending to be.
I suppose I was expecting more of a plan to encourage my reluctant reader to embrace reading as a lifelong pleasure. There’s not much in the way of that besides the boilerplate “let kids read what they want” and “have books in the house”.
I was also turned off at one point where the author seemed to say “don’t try to teach your kids to read; leave it to the professionals because they know what they’re doing and you don’t”. But I think what he meant to say was “let the teachers do the chore of reading assignments while you focus on reading for enjoyment at home”.
Even if he meant “let the teachers teach reading”, he contradicted this point later by saying that schools fail at teaching kids to read because they focus on “reading strategies” and not content. This is a huge point of debate and lots of good books exist that talk about this in great detail, including E.D. Hirsch who created the Core Knowledge curriculum and author of the “What your ___ grader needs to know” books. But this book mentions none of that, which I found shocking.
But maybe I’ve just read too many books on this topic. If you haven’t, and are looking for quick tips on encouraging your young readers and a brief overview of how schools are (not very successfully) teaching kids to read, you might get more out of this than I did.
I suppose I was expecting more of a plan to encourage my reluctant reader to embrace reading as a lifelong pleasure. There’s not much in the way of that besides the boilerplate “let kids read what they want” and “have books in the house”.
I was also turned off at one point where the author seemed to say “don’t try to teach your kids to read; leave it to the professionals because they know what they’re doing and you don’t”. But I think what he meant to say was “let the teachers do the chore of reading assignments while you focus on reading for enjoyment at home”.
Even if he meant “let the teachers teach reading”, he contradicted this point later by saying that schools fail at teaching kids to read because they focus on “reading strategies” and not content. This is a huge point of debate and lots of good books exist that talk about this in great detail, including E.D. Hirsch who created the Core Knowledge curriculum and author of the “What your ___ grader needs to know” books. But this book mentions none of that, which I found shocking.
But maybe I’ve just read too many books on this topic. If you haven’t, and are looking for quick tips on encouraging your young readers and a brief overview of how schools are (not very successfully) teaching kids to read, you might get more out of this than I did.
June 17, 2022
This book was recommended to me by a teaching mentor I have looked up to since the start of my career. Anything she says I should read, I should read! I don’t know why I waited so long to get this one, but I am so glad I made time for it. Despite having a passion for literacy, as well as my national board certification and master’s degree in reading/literacy I struggle to truly understand how to help kids learn how to read and ENJOY reading. In this book Daniel T. Willingham breaks it down in a simple, easy to understand way. He has tips for teachers as well as parents as well as all ages from birth through young adult. If you’re like me and a bit stumped about how to get kids started as readers, I highly recommend this book.
January 26, 2022
I skimmed the parts about babies through young elementary kids as my "baby" is almost 12! I found this informative and somewhat practical as each chapter had a section for the classroom teacher and another for the home. But I did not find the advice on the struggling or resistant child as overly helpful, more conceptual. I also felt that it downplayed the effect our phones are having on our kids' reading, esp those born in the iPhone era..so it's a bit dated. I did appreciate that it wasn't overly wordy (unlike many "research" books, and many pages have graphs and pictures, so it's a pretty quick read.
February 1, 2023
I enjoyed this. I can’t say how definitive it is as I picked it up fairly at random from my library, but I found it helpful and illuminating. Particularly with my eldest son right in the middle of starting to learn to read; or, should I say, decode lol.
I like the mix of overarching principles and pragmatic guidance. The idea that, notwithstanding all the practical good uses being a person who reads a lot, the driving force of supporting a child to read should be simply to give them the gift of the particular pleasure of reading sits really well with me.
I also quite liked the conversational tone and random asides by the author. Seems like a champ!
I like the mix of overarching principles and pragmatic guidance. The idea that, notwithstanding all the practical good uses being a person who reads a lot, the driving force of supporting a child to read should be simply to give them the gift of the particular pleasure of reading sits really well with me.
I also quite liked the conversational tone and random asides by the author. Seems like a champ!
March 26, 2024
I had to read this for a class a couple weeks ago to write a paper on and completely forgot I could add it to my Goodreads, so I am very happy
Would not recommend it was more boring than anything especially considering I have no kids, but I read it!!! So it counts!!
(I could give my actual critiques on the book, but as it turns out that is a 17-page paper, so I will not be doing that again lol)
Would not recommend it was more boring than anything especially considering I have no kids, but I read it!!! So it counts!!
(I could give my actual critiques on the book, but as it turns out that is a 17-page paper, so I will not be doing that again lol)
May 17, 2017
I enjoyed this as a brief refresher for much of what I already know and the totally different perspective of how to motivate as an educator. The teacher parts were a bit out of my realm and it was easy to skim over areas that didn't pertain to me. The overall tone of the book was a bit heavy-handed at times, but still practical. Good advice, presented in an easy-to-follow format.
October 30, 2017
But what matters the most in this book is one very simple idea : parents and teachers need to support their children to become good readers long before reading problems becomes visible. They need to help children want to learn to read long before they actually learn to read. They need to make children realize that reading is not just work, but fun and rewarding.
January 3, 2018
I read the first half solidly and skimmed the second half as it was more relevant to older kids. It was based heavily around the timeline of the US compulsory school system. So I took what I could from it and left the rest. A book I enjoyed more on a related topic was The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease.
December 10, 2019
Key: "have fun, start now"
Read every day with your children, even as little as 5 minutes. Again, if you aren't already doing this, start now! A lot of what I thought was common sense, however I never thought of "decoding", "comprehension", and "motivation" as as keys to a child becoming a reader. Probably because I've always loved reading.
Read every day with your children, even as little as 5 minutes. Again, if you aren't already doing this, start now! A lot of what I thought was common sense, however I never thought of "decoding", "comprehension", and "motivation" as as keys to a child becoming a reader. Probably because I've always loved reading.
February 24, 2020
Great job synthesizing the research into digestible and practical strategies for encouraging reading in kids of all ages. I have a 4.5 yr old and a 2 yr old, and I found strategies for both of them. Willingham does a great job of writing from both the prospective of a researcher/scholar and a parent.
December 29, 2022
It took me longer than expected to finish this, but part of that is because I took about a week and a half off from the book at the end of the school semester as I was finishing up last minute lessons and grading papers. Part of the reason is because I did a lot of annotating. Many incredible nuggets I was able to glean from these chapters for both personal and professional purposes.
December 29, 2019
Another must for parents and teachers
A great read. As a parent and a teacher this book spoke to me. The writing is great and easy to follow, the structure of this book also makes it a great resource to draw upon in the future. Great book.
A great read. As a parent and a teacher this book spoke to me. The writing is great and easy to follow, the structure of this book also makes it a great resource to draw upon in the future. Great book.
May 12, 2020
Good book for the technical research into what motivates and helps kids learn to read and continue reading. It was a little dense and I was mostly interested in the beginning of the book about how kids learn to read. I would recommend this book for teachers or homeschooling parents.
April 24, 2021
I started taking notes in the early chapters of this book but eventually found myself just powering through to finish it. I didn't find much that was very actionable here, at least not much that resonated with me. This may be a great resource for others but it just never really hooked me.
February 15, 2022
Some of this felt like common sense and not all of it was exactly helpful, but overall I thought this was a pretty good read that inspired some solid thought and conversation about how to share my love of reading with my child.
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