Engaging the Adolescent Reader
You’ve heard the following statistic: “Kids should be reading 20 minutes a day.” It’s something that we, as teachers, say throughout a child’s education. While your child was in elementary school, the process seemed more engaging.
Your child’s school hosted book fairs twice a year. His or her teacher assigned weekly reading logs as a nightly homework assignment. There may have even been in-class prizes for how many books they read a year!
Then, they moved on to middle school and high school, and educators kept saying the same thing. We told you how reading would enable your child to perform better on standardized tests. We also told you how reading was important for their cognitive development. However, something got lost in the process.
The incentive system changed — and your teenager noticed
Now, instead of incentive charts or fun prizes, there were just reading assignments. If your child didn’t do the reading, they would lose points in their grade average. And, there was no reward if they did any extra reading.
As your child matured, their interests started to shift as well. Instead of reading, they turned to social media, television, or other ways to consume information.
Now, rather than hearing the statistics on reading and feeling encouraged, you hear it and feel overwhelmed. You ask yourself: “How? How do I get my teenager to want to read?”
Well, here at Jamie the Scholar, we want you to feel encouraged as a parent. That’s why we’re offering helpful suggestions that we hope you can benefit from.
Hold on to the mission.
Inspiring your adolescent to read is a good and important goal. The correlation between reading and their brain development is real. A love for reading can open so many doors for your young learner and it doesn’t have to mean giving up screens entirely.
Within a healthy time limit, social media can be a source of entertainment for your teenager. However, overindulgence in it does have negative effects on their brain health. That’s what makes this worth paying attention to — encouraging reading addresses both sides at once.
So consider this goal a mission: one that provides a solution to two different problems. By encouraging your teenager to replace some of their screen time with reading, you’re helping them cultivate a love for a beneficial hobby. You are also limiting their exposure to a detrimental one.
Like with other parts of this developmental stage, your teenager still needs you. Although they may be growing in their independence, as is appropriate, your guidance is still needed. It’s instrumental in helping them succeed and grow into the best equipped adult they can be!
Incentivize reading.
I’m going to be honest with you. I’ve been an English Teacher for the last ten years. After writing my introduction to this blog, I felt a little convicted. Why haven’t I offered my students in-class incentives for extra reading? Why haven’t I offered bonus points on quizzes or tests to encourage more reading for fun?
This may be something that we, as Literature teachers, can start doing. Until then, there are plenty of ways that you, as a parent, can incentivize your teenager to love reading.
Allow them to choose
As said, adolescence is a time for growth in one’s identity and independence.
By allowing your teenager to choose a book that intrigues them, they are able to exercise their autonomy in a new way. Whether it’s a trip to the library or a local bookstore, give them the ability to choose a book that they’re interested in reading!
After being assigned reading in their English class, the ability to choose a book to read is a nice reprieve. That being said, check out the following search engines and articles. In case you have concerns with YA Content, these search engines and articles will help you filter out inappropriate material.
- Common Sense Media
- Plugged In — offers content reviews and filters, including faith-based perspective
- Goodreads: Clean Fantasy
- Book Series Recaps: Clean YA
Create rewards for a total number of books read:
When I was in middle school, my grandfather was so proud of me for making the honor roll that he would give me a little gift at the end of the quarter. Although that wasn’t my original reason for studying or earning high grades, it kept me motivated.
Just like what was created for me, consider setting up an incentive chart based on how many books your teenager reads over a duration of time. If not gifts, maybe a daily reading can become a way to earn some additional allowance.
When adolescents feel the success of their hard work, we are preparing them for the work force.
After all, it’s the employees who go above and beyond who receive recognition. That’s why introducing this concept to them will be helpful in preparing them for their next stage: adulthood.
Read books together as a family!
In the digital age, it’s easy to feel isolated from one another. When we’re all plugged in to our own devices, there’s a risk of disconnection and losing out on those bonding experiences that are so pivotal for families. Perhaps like watching a movie or playing a board game, reading a book together can be a way that you and your family spend time with one another.
As someone who has worked with teenagers for the last decade, I have noticed something profound about them. They are more inclined to take something seriously when they see the adults in their lives practicing it as well. By designating that time a week for you and your family to read together, it will communicate to them just how important you consider reading to be.
Lastly, while we emphasize how important it is for children to be reading 20 minutes a day, it’s as important for adults to engage in daily reading too!
In fact, in the last five years, several articles have been published showing that adults who read regularly reduce their risk of cognitive decline and dementia over time. The benefits extend beyond brain health too: better sleep, lower stress, and stronger emotional wellbeing are among them.
By reading as a family, not only are you reinforcing the importance of reading to your teenager, you’re also bonding together over an activity that will be healthy and helpful for each member of the family!
How Jamie The Scholar Can Help
The path to transforming your child into a reader may seem intimidating, but here at Jamie the Scholar, we are here to help! If you ever find that your child struggles with reading or understanding what they’ve read, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
If your teenager is struggling to connect with reading or simply hasn’t found the right material yet, our tutors can help. Many on our team have specialized backgrounds in reading instruction and work alongside students to build both skill and genuine interest over time.
Call us at 888-577-3224 or visit jamiethescholar.com to schedule a free consultation.