Engaging reluctant readers

When reading with a child who is learning the ropes of reading, struggling with reading or is a reluctant reader, it is important to remember that however you plan to get this particular child or several children at a time into reading, it has to be centred around them.

There is no point throwing down The Animals of Farthing Wood and expecting them to enjoy this if they have a passion for exotic fruit and football.

So here are some quick tips and strategies on how you can engage children with books, reading and story-telling.

First, choosing a book with the child is very important. It is important to really understand what the child is interested in – would they like a fairy tale, a detailed study of birds from around the world or a simple story about dinosaurs. Point out the title, pictures on the front cover, maybe take a look at the first few pages to see if it is something they might be interested in reading.