Q. My fourth- and sixth-grade sons have summer reading contracts from school that they aren't interested in completing. Their grandmother, who has a Kindle, wants to get them one. She says the boys will be more motivated to read books on a screen, rather than on paper. What do you think?
Kindles are electronic devices onto which books are downloaded.
A. Many readers love their Kindles, electronic devices onto which books are downloaded. But before Grandma shells out $400, consider these questions: Will boys who aren't motivated by the razzle-dazzle design of kids' books cotton to the Kindle's bland screen? Will they really share? Who will pay the per-title fees? Ask her to download a book of the boys' choosing onto her own device, so they can try it.
About those summer reading contracts: Think about what could motivate your sons to read more. Researchers believe that children's motivation to read on their own is influenced by several factors. One is their experience with books. Has it been positive, or have they struggled? Do they view books as something they use only in school? If so, they're less likely to view reading as a cool summertime activity. Do they connect books with family fun and learning about topics they want to know more about? If yes, that's good stuff to build on.
Another factor is access: Do they have lots of choices to select from? Kindle offers just over 2,500 children's titles. While that may sound like a lot, it's a tiny fraction of the many thousands of exciting books available to young readers. (Check out available titles on
www.amazon.com.)
"Your goal this summer is to get the boys listening to and reading text on topics they're interested in, so that they see reading as something that makes you smart and brings you pleasure. I tell parents of reluctant readers to 'think outside the book,' and that often means capitalizing on cool technologies kids find so appealing," says Carl Harvey, a library media specialist at North Elementary School, in Noblesville, Ind.
Encourage Grandma to take a cue from Harvey. In his school media center, kids are crazy about audio books, iPods and "playaways," self-contained audio books that require no player. "On a 'playaway,' a book is preinstalled, usually one per machine," Harvey says. "These are always in circulation."
When students check out audio books, Harvey encourages them to take the print version, too. "The child can follow the text as he listens. It's a very effective way to boost reading and listening skills."
There's an added benefit, Harvey says: Having the book makes it easy to reread it with the child. "Sharing is important in motivating children to read more."
If your sons have iPods or MP3 players, your mom might give the boys a "download" allowance from audiblekids.com and obtain corresponding books from the local library.
Too often, summer reading assignments try to push students through a stack of fiction. Some kids — especially boys — have a clear preference for nonfiction. They want to know more about things they like. "Make a list of topics your sons are into," Harvey says... Snakes? Video games? Space travel? Humor? Prioritize their interests to search for titles they might want to read. They might devour an atlas or a kids' almanac, field guides and other reference books. If your sons are passionate about sports, keep track of favorite teams by reading daily newspapers and ESPN.com and watching "Sports Center."
Taking a "cross-media" approach is important, Harvey says. "It teaches your sons that we learn from a range of sources and makes them more eager consumers of information."
The 2008 Kids & Family Reading Report, a survey of children ages 5 through 17, found that kids who go online to extend their reading experience — by going to author Web sites or connecting with other readers — are more likely to read for fun every day. For more on the report, go to scholastic.com/readingreport.
Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. Her column appears every other Monday. Do you have a question about your child's education? E-mail Leanna@aplusadvice.com.
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