Question:
With summer coming up, I'm sure my daughter, A.J. (14) is going to stop reading, and it will be harder for her to get into the swing of school in the fall. What do you suggest that would keep her in practice?Answer:
ParentingTeensOnline expert John Blaber, M.A. discusses the topic, "Keeping teens in ‘school shape’ over the summer". John is an English teacher, Alameda High School, CA. He answers:
Adults emphasize the importance of summer reading for teens because they know it builds vocabulary and reading fluency skills that can pay off during the school year. But teens know when they are being asked to do something because an adult thinks it will be good for them, and they can--understandably--be reluctant to follow through on this kind of request during the summer months. In my experience, the real benefit to summer reading is a hidden one: it reminds teens that reading is supposed to be fun! After a 10-month school year of reading books assigned by someone else, teens should have the power of choice during the summer when it comes to reading. Many schools have summer reading initiatives that require students to read their choice of books from a pre-selected list. Ask your daughter's English teacher if her school has such a list. If the school does have a list, go over the titles with your daughter and let her choose the book that sounds most interesting to her. Often, teens just need a little guidance in finding an interesting book because they don't have a lot of independent experience in choosing books for themselves. A great resource is the Young Adult Library Services Association's lists of high-interest reading titles for teens. These lists are available online at http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook.htm and include a wide range of choices, such as graphic novels and books chosen for teens by teens.