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Friday, December 16, 2011

How to Improve Your Child's Literacy Level

 
Photo: southernsavers.com
Reading improves brain function and has a direct correlation with higher IQs. Children who read well have a better chance of doing well in school, and are usually in the "gifted" classes. How do you get children to want to read? You do it by reading to them.

Start reading to your children early and every day. Showing them how magical books can be, make them believe that inside every cover is a magical world that only they can touch. If your child enjoys a particular story, read it again. There's no harm in reading the same story over, in fact, it reinforces the fact that reading ought to be a habit.

Read at the same time(s) every day. Right before bed is an excellent time because it kills two birds with one stone. It helps boost their visualization and imagination skills and makes them look forward to bed.

What books are best to boost the IQ? The classics like Dr. Seuss help by using poetry. Rhymes stimulate brain activity and promote memorization, another habit to get into

Another way to get children interested in reading is to allow them to pick out the books. All reading is reading, as they say. Just because you want them to read Shakespeare at eight doesn't mean that it is any better for them than the latest Batman comic. The goal is not to force them, but to instill in them a love of reading and of books. Encourage them to read. Don't turn them off by forcing them to do it, or forcing them to read something they don't enjoy. You may prefer the adventures of Elizabeth Bennet to Bruce Wayne, but your child may not.

Many of the bookstores have wonderful children's sections and you might find that your child will go through many books while there. They usually have games and play rooms so that kids spend more time there (and encourages the parents to shop around for additional books). Allow your child to roam the aisles, opening and reading a few pages until he or she settles on just the right book. This will get them excited about reading.

When they are young, start them on their way by having them help you read their favorite stories. One sentence at a time. Gradually build their skills and vocabulary. Before long they will be doing the reading and you will be doing the listening. Even after your child is reading on his or her own, continue to maintain the story time schedule. Chapter books with their mini-cliff hangers are one way of tricking your child into wanting to read more. More importantly, chapter books drives them to read more and more advanced materials that boost's the brain's critical thinking skills, which in turn, improves their IQ.

Behavioral scientists are the first to tell you that your IQ is not static. You can boost it by eating right, getting exercise, and stimulating brain activity. This summer, help boost your child's IQ by working with them on fun and meaningful activities.

Children who read well tend to write well, and writing well, leads to reading well. This powerful combination of reading and writing gives children a boost in their mental capacity. Writing requires reflection, imagination, and problem solving skills. Have your child keep a summer journal, or even a creative writing notebook. When a child evaluates their day-to-day experiences they increase both their intelligence and emotional quotience. When writing they are learning problem solving skills without even knowing it! Scrap booking is a colorful alternative to the typical journal and also helps with fine motor skills.

Sports and outdoor activities not only help your children stay healthy but they also know boost brainpower. Outdoor play not only helps to raise their aerobic levels (which stimulates the brain), employs critical thinking skills. Moreover, the creativity that's involved in make-believe games (like pretending the tree house is an Elvin fort) can challenge their brains to think in complex problem solving skills. Outdoor play (unlike indoor) actually reduces stress levels in children. This summer send the kids outdoors. Take them on hikes or camping, build a tree house together, sign them up for swim lessons or even send them off to camp. Kids need to be outdoors and most kids today are sadly lacking in the types of vitamins provided by sunshine. Whether they like it or not, they need to play outside.

Reading is fundamental. Children who read during their summer break perform better in school when they return in the fall. It doesn't matter what they read they need to read. So be it a comic book or "Percy Jackson's Lightning Thief", get them reading. Studies show that when your child reads for fun, he or she, will do better in school than those kids who are forced to read. Take your child to the library and let them pick out any book they choose. Even if it isn't something you would like…it doesn't matter. All reading is good for them. Make reading fun by setting up a hammock in the back yard or allowing them to take the book to their outdoor forts.

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Visit Brian's website, http://www.LiteracyNews.com and learn how to improve your reading and receive free literacy help.


Source: ArticleTrader.com

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