Page 58 - Reading Nest - The Supportive Literacy Environment Handbook

In the light of these results it is important that the teacher creates opportunities for children

to enjoy stress-free reading of material of their own choice. Children can freely select the

difficulty level and content of texts, motivation comes first as do positive emotions with
regard to reading. The teacher's role is to encourage parents to give every kind of support

to children at home as well. Positive reading chains begin at the kindergarten and continue
through all stages of education and life.

Would children, who do not discover enjoyment of reading at an early age, lag behind

hopelessly, and never become good readers? Fortunately, this is not the case.

The study by Mol and Bus also suggests that when the so-called reluctant readers

are eventually attracted to texts and they start reading in their spare time, their

reading skills may take a big leap. Those, initially reluctant readers, may soon see

how their vocabulary greatly improves as does ability to understand written texts; it

might incite even bigger interest in reading and help traverse from the negative chain

onto the positive reading chain.