Monday, June 15, 2009

Make Reading a Pleasure not a Chore

Link to June 14 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article, "Allow children 'light' reading to maintain learning over summer, experts say".

Excerpt: As school let out for summer Thursday at Muskego Elementary School, Joe Dorn watched his first- and second-grade students scamper off into a world temporarily free of structured class and homework.

Dorn could predict which students won't pick up a book again until fall, putting them at risk for falling behind academically.

The challenge of getting kids to read in the summer is nothing new. But for older students especially, more educators - and librarians are bypassing "recommended lists" of classic novels and instead suggesting graphic novels, magazines, Web sites, comic books - anything to get them reading.

Traditionalists may hope kids tackle something more substantial than the latest book-turned-popular movie. But others say what kids read is less important than instilling a want to read.

"If they're completely interested in dirt bikes, get them a subscription to a dirt bike magazine," said Kelly Hughbanks, coordinator of youth services for Milwaukee Public Library.

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