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A robust high school reading list enhances any student’s college application, but what can you do if your child doesn’t like to read? Are they doomed to a non-literary life? Fortunately, there are a variety of helpful tips to follow if your child would rather build forts than read books, so don’t despair. It may require a little thinking outside the box, but there are many ways to encourage at least a willingness to read in most students.
Some reluctant readers are reluctant not because they don’t
like to read, but because they’re active learners. In this case, find books
that have very active main characters. Tom Sawyer, for example, is a character
in a book who always gets into tons of trouble, whereas Jane Austen books are
mostly about girls sitting around thinking stuff. Steer your student towards
the action works. It’s helpful to think
about the movie genre your student likes and find books in that similar genre.
Even for active learners, choosing a non-fiction book about
doing things is helpful. Survival books, building books, or electronics books
are very good examples. You can also read and watch active plays for active
learners. Short books can be a great way
to encourage reading. There are plenty of books on the “reading lists for the
college bound” that are short, but if you need any help finding some, talk to
your local librarian. Also make sure to
encourage reading in the areas of your child’s specialization, books and
magazines about their passion.
You can also include any books you used in regular courses.
For instance, if you used The Red Badge of Courage for English class, you can
put that on the reading list as well as on the course description. Include any
books of faith, such as Bible, devotionals, etc. And don’t forget the books that your student
reads for fun. Popular literature such as Harry Potter, Twilight, Marley and
Me, or other books should be included in the list. Colleges want students to
read popular literature as well as classical, so it’s okay to include books
from the “New York Times Best Sellers” list.
You can also include audio books, although you should make
sure that you indicate this beside the title. Audio books can help broaden a
struggling reader’s horizons. Books that
are read aloud can be put on the reading list, as well as magazine
subscriptions. You can include the great books, the living books, and even the
stupid books because variety is good when it comes to the reading list!
Author Bio
Lee Binz is a homeschooling expert and the founder of The Homescholar. She successfully
homeschooled her two sons and currently aids many parents in homeschooling
their own students.
