Many fourth grade classrooms have nightly reading as a part of their homework routine. This can be challenging for students who are still developing readers. Many are reluctant to read and are often not excited by the idea of this portion of their homework. I have a few suggestions that may make reading for pleasure actually pleasurable for your child.
1. Consider using an e-reader such as a Kindle, Nook or iPad. Using an e-reader allows students to interact more with the text. They can adjust the size of the font, which reduces the number of words on a page. They can gain a feeling of accomplishment as they tap to turn the page. They can use the dictionary feature to define words they are unsure of. One of my sons prefers to read on an e-reader because he says it helps him to focus on the story and not the number of pages he has left in the book.
There are many free ebooks available through the NH Public Library - http://nh.lib.overdrive.com/ All you need to access these books is your library card number.
2. Consider audiobooks. Listening to an audiobook helps to build listening comprehension, visualizing skills and vocabulary. Listening to a book allows your student to have access to books their peers may be reading that are still beyond their independent reading level. Students can also listen to the story being read aloud while they follow along in a traditional copy of the book. There are many ways to utilize these books and the way you choose to use them may vary from day to day.
The Exeter Public Library has many audiobooks on CD available for students to check out. There are also a number of audiobooks available to download from the NH Public Library. They can be downloaded to an ipod or ipad after the Overdrive app is downloaded. Audio books are great for road trips and there are many titles available that may appeal to the whole family.
3. Consider forming a "Book Club" This Book Club may be members of a family (parents, siblings, grandparents, etc.) or may be a group of friends that are all reading the same book. The club would meet to discuss the story events and help the members make connections between the text, their own lives and their prior knowledge. Discussion should be light and can focus on those famous " W questions" - Where? When? What? Why? What is next?
4. Choose independent reading material carefully. For reading to be enjoyable, it should to be at a level that allows the student to focus on the characters and story events rather than on decoding. When a student struggles with decoding words while reading, they often lose the flow of the story. It starts to feel like work. Students should read independently in a book that is a level or two below their instructional reading level. If you are unsure of what an appropriate independent reading level for your child may be - I would be happy to help you determine that. I can also give you tips for how to determine the reading level of a book that you pick up in a bookstore or at the library.
5. Consider a series. When students read books in a series, they start to build a relationship with the characters. They have prior knowledge about the setting and the characters before they begin reading the next book. They are often more invested in the outcome of the story and are better at making predictions about how characters will behave, based upon their actions in earlier books. There are several good series out there at all different levels for many different interests.
6. Consider magazines, graphic novels & comic books. Reading is reading, it does not have to be in a novel. The goal is to get your student hooked on the story. Pictures and humor can definitely help with this.
7. Use your resources. Our librarian at Lincoln Street School, Mrs. Burnham, is an excellent resource for our students. She has wonderful book suggestions and seems to know right away what type of books each of her students will enjoy. The Exeter Public Library also has an extensive collection of books. The staff there is very knowledgeable and wants to get books into the hands of students. I am also always happy to make book recommendations. I am lucky enough to be the parent of a 4th grade boy with eclectic reading tastes, so I have some real life experience with book selection.
As always, please don't hesitate to ask questions. I am happy to brainstorm with you to come up with a strategy that may work for your child. Developing the habit of reading everyday is a wonderful goal for all students!
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