• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

BJU Press Blog

  • Home
  • Shop
    • Shaping Worldview
  • Simplified Homeschool
  • Successful Learning

Ready, Set, Read!

April 25, 2014 by Megan

The BJU Press Summer Reading Program has begun! In celebration of its launch, we spoke with Nancy Lohr, acquisitions editor for JourneyForth, about the Summer Reading Program and topics related to reading. Nancy, an avid reader herself, has also worked as a classroom teacher and a children’s librarian in the past. Below is a portion of the interview.

image of the 2014 sumnmer reading logo

What is your goal for the Summer Reading Program, or what would you say is its purpose?

The BJU Press Summer Reading Program is designed to give parents a manageable and effective way to keep their children reading through the summer months. Research shows that children can lose ground educationally during the summer months, and parents can minimize or eliminate this loss by establishing a pattern of leisure reading at home. Reading contests and programs can be notoriously difficult for the parent or teacher to execute, so we’ve designed our program to promote regular reading for children—we’re asking for reading five days a week for eight weeks during your summer—with a minimum of paperwork for Mom and Dad and taking into consideration the varying skills and interests of the children who participate. This gives families time for vacations, summer camp, and family activities while still making reading a priority, which in turn advances reading skills and fosters a love of reading.

Do you have some suggestions or encouragement for parents of reluctant readers?

If you as parents know why your child is reluctant, then you have some idea of where you need to focus your efforts.

Maybe you need to start the summer with an engaging read-aloud for your family. This could be the fanciful My Father’s Dragon or the poignant Stone Fox or . . . you get the idea.

Help your child select books appropriate to his or her skills. Scour an anthology or your library’s catalog to find something that is engaging to your child and suitable for your family, or talk with your local children’s librarian for ideas. Get recommendations from the readers in your world. Try cooperative reading with your child, taking turns with paragraphs or pages or with each of you reading the words of specific characters. Or one of you signal the other when you are ready to handoff to the other reader. Some children like to reread books; that’s just fine. Who doesn’t like to spend an afternoon with an old friend? Reading skills are strengthened even in rereading. Consider why that book is your child’s friend, and then look for books that are similar in some way.

If your child has adequate reading skills but doesn’t like to read, then it may be that he or she just hasn’t found a home-run book yet. Reading fiction may not be your child’s cup of tea, so look for nonfiction that will answer questions or deliver information. It may be that a book about combustion engines or the Smithsonian Magazine can satisfy your child’s need to know. Use the summer to find the kind of reading material that scratches the reading itch for your youngster.

Do you have a reluctant reader in your home or classroom? What have you done to motivate that child?

Save

Filed Under: JourneyForth Tagged With: Christian school, homeschool, language arts, reading, reading program

Email Signup

Sign up for our homeschool newsletter and receive select blog posts, discounts, and more right to your inbox!
Avatar photo

About Megan

Megan is a writer and a homeschool mom with four daughters—a sixth grader, a fourth grader, a first grader, and a 4-year-old. She enjoys doing activities with her girls and taking advantage of every teachable moment. She and her family enjoy ministering the gospel to spiritually needy children in their area, getting involved in their community, and reading books of all shapes and sizes. Read more posts by Megan.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Footer

Disclaimer

The BJU Press blog publishes content by different writers for the purpose of relating to our varied readers. Views and opinions expressed by these writers do not necessarily state or reflect the views of BJU Press or its affiliates. The fact that a link is listed on this blog does not represent or imply that BJU Press endorses its site or contents from the standpoint of ethics, philosophy, theology, or scientific hypotheses. Links are posted on the basis of the information and/or services that the sites offer. If you have comments, suggestions, questions, or find that one of the links no longer works, please contact us.

Pages

  • About BJU Press
  • Conversation Guidelines
  • Terms of Use & Copyright

Archives

© 2023 · BJU Press Homeschool