In 2000, the National Reading Panel issued a report that served as the basis for reading instruction across the United States. Many NCLB initiatives used the Panel’s report to justify a very narrow definition of reading instruction. Their findings suggested that the best approaches to reading incorporate:

Explicit instruction in phonemic awareness
Systematic phonics instruction
Methods to improve fluency
Ways to enhance comprehension

Fourteen years later, as we prepare for the Common Core era, schools are hopefully shifting their focus to a broader and more comprehensive view of reading instruction. Something significant has been lost with recent school reform efforts. The creation of formulaic reading programs has moved schools away from fostering a love for learning in their students.

Before you can interest a child in unlocking the sounds associated with letters, you must at least light a candle of interest. If you want children to become fluent readers who also comprehend, then show them how reading unlocks the world. Schools wishing to elevate student success should encourage parents and teachers to consider the following tips on growing good readers:

1. Talk to them

Vocabulary development and reading skills are linked processes. The more you read, the better your vocabulary, the more you engage in conversation, the better you’ll be able to read. Busy parents must take the time to talk with their children about a range of subjects. Teachers must give their students opportunities to talk with their classmates. While we can all appreciate the value of peace and quiet, our children will become better readers from ample opportunities to talk.

2. Read to them

Oral comprehension supports the growth of independent reading skills. Parents of young children should be reading to them every night. Teachers should build read-alouds and books on tape into their daily instruction. Older students also benefit from listening to others read. You can turn the table on them by having students record themselves for others to listen to.

3. Model good reading

Children tend to value what the adults in their lives show enthusiasm for. If you want your child to be a reader, you have to model it. Talk to them about the books you are reading. Share your excitement about your favorite genre. Have a quiet reading time in your home or classroom where everyone is reading at the same time. Involve the extended family in sharing their reading interests. Invite guest readers to the classroom to share their love for reading.

4. Ask Questions

Questioning is the starting point for reading comprehension. Good readers are constantly asking questions as they read. Young readers should be encouraged to share what they are thinking as they are reading. Reinforce questioning before, during, and after reading. As children improve their questioning skills, raise the level from explicit to implicit questioning.

5. Take them places

Background knowledge is vital for growing good readers. Every trip a parent takes their child on, no matter how long or short, should involve literacy moments. Trips to the store, to the park, or to the gas station can all provide teachable moments for parents. Point out signs, letters, and numbers as you travel. Have your child help you with the grocery list. They can “read” it to you as you shop. Children need to see the connection between reading and the real world. The more background knowledge a child has, the better prepared they’ll be when the demands of reading get harder.

6. Go to the library

You can never expose a child to too many books. Our public libraries are tremendous resources for parents and teachers. Many have very liberal policies when it comes to checking books out. Your local library probably sponsors a summer reading program and many offer homework help for school-aged children. In hard economic times, public libraries offer parents affordable and often free resources for growing young readers.

Good readers become great readers through a process that is part art and part science. While phonemic awareness and phonics should be components of good reading instruction, we must remember to build a love for reading in our students. A love for reading blooms in students who are exposed to a variety of literature using methods that actively engage them.

Let’s think of it this way: the stem, leaf, roots, and flower are the phonics/phonemics of reading, the love for reading comes from the soil, sun, and water we supply. If we provide the best of both for our students, they will surely become lifelong readers.

You can follow Chris on Twitter @principal64.