Six steps to get your primary pupils reading for pleasure

Being an avid reader and having a good knowledge of books are two of the most important things for any primary school teacher. But to bring out your pupil’s inner book worm, it’s a case of finding out what they like to read and how they like to read. Building a culture of reading is important because it teaches pupils how to focus, sparks their imagination and encourages curiosity. Though reading is essential for a child’s development only one in three pupils in the UK admit they ‘like very much’ reading.

So how you can make sure your primary pupils are reading for pleasure? These six steps will get you started:

Actively involve parents

A child who reads for 20 minutes a day is exposed to 1.8 million new words in just one year. Make sure they hit this goal by creating specific initiatives that actively involve parents in reading with their children. Pupils who are shown the joy of reading when they’re young are much more likely to become lifetime readers, so it’s essential that they’re supported both at school and at home.

Talk about the book

Set aside time to discuss a book or story to show your pupils that reading is not a solitary activity and that some of the most interesting conversations they might have in adulthood will be based on something they have read. Getting them involved in a discussion will illustrate that there are many different ways to look at a story - an important skill they’ll need in secondary school.

Exercise your storytelling skills

Get your primary pupils reading for pleasure by showing them how immersive reading can be. Find a story that you know will engage them, such as a book that allows you to try out different voices. Why not appoint a new assistant for each reading session and ask them to be in charge of any sound effects? Including your pupils in the storytelling will ensure that your reading session isn’t a time for them to sit back and relax, but a time to be engrossed in the story.

Invite an author to your school

Celebrate the joy of reading and invite an author to your school . This is a great way to bring a story to life and get your primary pupils excited about the book of your choosing. Read through the book together to prepare them for the day and create posters that display their favourite scene.

Create a reading wall

A book review task will teach your pupils important skills that they’ll need throughout their education. To make the task more fun and engaging, design a reading wall with the class. This will show the name of each student, with the title of their book and a small extract from their review.

Give your students the freedom to choose their own book and trust that the class will provide a wide variety. With these reviews on the wall for everyone to see, students will find out about books that they might never have picked, from genres they’ve not yet tried.

Reading calendar

Create a reading calendar to celebrate some major children’s books awareness days and get your students involved by setting a fun activity for each day. Here are a few to get you started:

• On World Book Day , ask your pupils to come in dressed as one of their favourite characters or get the class to do a book swap.Roald Dhal Day falls on the author’s birthday - the 13th of September.
• Celebrate this day by reading small extracts from his books and then ask your pupils to work together to write a book for Roald Dhal that is just as imaginative and wacky.
• Take the opportunity on National Poetry Day to show students how fun poems and rhymes can be.

Let Teaching Personnel help you find your next job

Technology can be such a major distraction for children and books are now competing with mobile phones, the TV and games consoles. These six steps will show your pupils that a good book can be far more entertaining than any TV show. Now you know how to get your pupils reading for pleasure, all that’s left to do is put it into practice. Find your next primary teacher job with Teaching Personnel.