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Issue # 45
Readers in the Making
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Hi there, Readers in the Making Family!
Ever tried to read a book with a child who just can’t sit still? One minute, they’re flipping pages, the next, they’re upside down on the couch. (And somehow, the book is now across the room. 🤦♀️ This is so my son, Jackson! Still! And he is 20!)
Here’s the thing—movement and reading don’t have to be enemies! Letting kids move while they read can actually improve focus, comprehension, and engagement.
This week, I’m sharing 3 simple ways to make reading more active—without losing focus. Because for some kids, wiggles aren’t a distraction—they’re a learning tool!
Let’s get moving! 🚀📖
Turning Pages Together
While I was in the classroom, I had a student who really struggled to sit still. If he had to read at his desk for more than five minutes, he was done—spinning his pencil, wiggling in his chair, doing anything but actually reading.
Does this sound familiar?
My son used to do the same thing at home when we were trying to do homework. It was super stressful.
At first, I thought, Maybe he just doesn’t like reading.
But then, one day, I tried something different. I let him act out part of the book we were reading. I watched as she jumped up, re-enacted a scene, and then excitedly flipped back through the pages to check the details. (This is a little harder to do in a classroom, but can certainly be accomplished at home.)
That’s when I realized—he was engaged. He was thinking about the story. He just needed to move while he read.
Sometimes, kids don’t struggle with reading itself. They struggle with how we expect them to read.
