RAR #43: Raising Kids Who Read, Daniel Willingham
If you want to raise kids who read not because they can, but because they love to… you’re in the right place.
On this episode of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, Daniel Willingham and I discuss:
- what cognitive science tells us that will help our kids fall in love with books. (It’s easier than you think!)
- a new perspective on the role of technology in the reading life
- and books that formed Daniel as a reader – he has great taste! ;)
Click the play button below:
Books from this episode:
(All links are affiliate links.)
One of the books that launched me into reading chapter books on my own as a child (now some thirty years ago), was Charlotte’s Web. I just wrote a post on my blog about how that book propelled me into a love of chapter books whereas before that time, I enjoyed reading children’s books for sure, but something special happened when I read Charlotte’s Web. Thank you for this podcast!
Sarah, I discovered you last summer on Pinterest when I was trying to figure out how to revamp my homeschool. I’ve implemented quite a few of your suggestions this year, and they’ve made a huge difference! My son has been slow to pick up reading, and I’ve mainly let reading skills be our focus this year. This podcast was the first one of yours that I’ve listened to, and it was exactly what I needed to hear to help my son even further! I was a middle school English teacher before I quit to be SAHM, so I already knew a lot of what Dr. Willingham brought up…but hearing it from a parenting perspective instead of a teaching perspective was crucial for me! I’ve already put two of his books in my Amazon shopping cart and can’t wait to read them! Thank you so much for all that you do and for the enthusiasm that you have for reading and education. You’re quickly helping me to detox off of the public school system and create the homeschool that I dreamed about!
Thank you so much for this bit of encouragement, Sarah!
I enjoyed the podcast as usual. Although the suggestion was funny & many people do read on the toilet, it is not a healthy habit. My husband just had a colectomy & his surgeon/colorectal specialist strongly recommended against it. One should never stay longer than strictly needed on the toilet. It puts undue strain. Just wanted to point out that since it’s not a well known fact.
Thanks again.
This is very helpful, thank you. One question about praising or rewarding. I have not rewarded for reading (apart from completing challenges) but I do praise my children for reading. I praise if they read books that are difficult, I praise if they go on reading when they find the book challenging. Or even just comment when they complete a book. This seems to encourage my children as they like me being proud of them. In fact, it was even more successful with reluctant readers. One of my sons struggled a lot and thought he could not read and he did not like it. We didn’t buy it and made him try and try, and sure enough one day all fell into place. But we did a lot of praising for even the very small achievements. Anyone has similar experience?