#6 of 15 Ways to Teach Your Child to Write Using Books -- Read Around

#6 of 15 Ways to Teach Your Child to Write Using Books
Read Around --
This is a family expression. It means, for us, taking turns reading. It accomplishes so much for your children.

First of all, you can hear how well you child is reading and coach him, if necessary. Reading aloud improves anyone's reading more than any other exercise. You can't fake it when you read aloud.

Secondly, it becomes a group project. "Were all in this together." Part of that is learning courtesy: the kids don't want to be criticized themselves, so they are patient with one another. If they aren't, it is a chance for them to learn.
Each child in our family would read according to his ability. So, I have the 5-year-old read the chapter title, the 8-year-old read a page, the 12-year-old read 2, the 14-year-old, 3, etc. I'll finish the chapter or read 4-5 pages and then we start over. With older kids, we alternate chapters. "Whose read is it?" is a familiar cry at our house.

I admit, this is a family culture. You can feel free to create your own. But, it has meant so much to our family that I take great joy in passing it on. I couldn't begin to list the different relatives I've read with and the different books we've read. The tradition is continuing, with my daughter taking her daughter to read with my mother after church every Sunday. The close family relationships, the common language and frame of reference, the depth of understanding from discussion, the shared jokes have all helped shape me as a writer and a person. I have seen it do the same for my children, where they start to read together without me, discuss books and films and guide each others' writing. You may not have that same culture, but, I have seen it happen too often to doubt that reading around helps writing.