Reading goals might seem like something your private school student might struggle with, but they don’t have to be as intense as it might sound! These five reliable reading strategies can help the whole family become better readers. 

Add one more book each week.

Just adding one picture book can increase your child’s language skills. Research shows that adding a book a day can expose them to another 78,000 words each year! If you don’t already read with your children, make this a good starting point. Reading as a family helps normalize reading for entertainment, for learning, and for relaxing!

Talk about books each day. 

If you’ve ever asked a kid “what did you learn in school today?” you know the answers can be a mixed bag. Ask a kid about what’s going on in their books, however, and answers suddenly become a lot more excited. Responses might range from “Harry just to Hogwarts” to “they gave a mouse a cookie and he wanted more!” Talking about what your child is reading (both inside and outside of the classroom) encourages them to think critically about what they’re reading. 

Read something non-traditional. 

When most private school parents are told to encourage their children to read more, the first thing parents gravitate towards is typically picture books or chapter books. Prose is amazing and probably what people think of most when they hear “reading.” However, there are plenty of other types of reading to expose your child to. Consider reading poets like Shel Silverstein together, or break out a graphic novel! 

Learn (and use) a new word each week.

As your child becomes a better reader, they’ll more than likely come across words they’ve never heard before. Have your child jot down the words they don’t know as they read. Take time together to look up the definition of those words. Using that new knowledge, return to the pages where the words were found and have your child replace the word with its newly discovered meaning. Throughout the week, drop the new vocab words into conversation, and encourage them to do the same! By doing this with a word a week, your child’s lexicon will grow! 

There are also books like Lemony Snicket’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events” that intentionally use words that are above the reading level of its intended audience. These books explain what the word means as part of the plot, adding both humor and vocabulary to the story! 

Have a read-aloud time. 

It’s easy to have a parent-led storytime, but don’t forget to give your student a chance to read aloud to you! Encouraging your child to read out loud can help improve comprehension, increase reading speed, and reduce reading anxieties. In short, the kids who read out loud typically fall in love with reading faster than those who struggle with it. 

Reading is an essential part of any quality private school education. That’s why at Lake Forrest Prep we encourage our students to go beyond reading during school hours and embrace it at home. We realize that most growth comes from patterns set up in their homes. If you’re interested in seeing how Lake Forrest Prep equips students to become better readers (and overall learners), give us a call at 407-331-5144 or schedule a tour online.