If your teen seems to have lost interest in reading, don’t panic! You can help your teen reignite their love of reading by encouraging them to see reading as an enjoyable activity. Here are some ideas to help your teen become a bookworm.

Magazines

Lots of teens love pouring over magazines. Make the most of this  by encouraging your teen to borrow magazines that feature topics that interest them from the library. You could use the opportunity to open up conversation about some of the articles, such as celebrity profiles or their favorite sports teams. Discussing what your teen is reading will help them with their comprehension skills and give you the chance to talk with them about something they find interesting.

Reading aloud

Reading out loud to your teen is a great way to encourage them to read themselves. Try reading news articles aloud to them when you come across something they would find interesting. Talk to your teen about the things you read, and ask for their opinions. This will help with their comprehension, boost their confidence and help with their knowledge of current affairs.

Audio books

Audio books can be a great way to promote your teen’s love of reading. Listening and reading comprehension are closely linked, and listening to texts that may be difficult to read, such as Shakespeare, can help your teen understand them better. When listening to texts being spoken, you can hear the speaker’s intonation, tone, stress, and rhythm – which helps you understand the meaning behind the words.

Audio book tapes and CDs can be borrowed from the library. Many libraries also offer free audio book borrowing apps that you can subscribe to and download. You can also download podcasts from the internet. Audio books and podcasts provide a great opportunity to share time with your teen. You can listen to audio books together while you are doing other things, like preparing dinner or when you’re in the car.

Model behaviour

You are your teen’s greatest role model, so if they see you reading a book, they are more likely to want to read one too! You might like to encourage them to read next to you on a comfy couch or rug so you can enjoy the reading time together.