readingcluba-blog

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10 Great and Easy English Books You Must Read

1.Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White

This is a lovely novel that all age groups can understand. Aimed at native English speaking children, there are many adults who still say this famous book is their favorite. This is part of the national curriculum in many schools around the world, so it’s quite possible this book will also come up in conversation. You can almost guarantee that the majority of native English speakers have read this book at least once.

Plot Summary

A baby pig is almost killed because of his status – he is the smallest pig that was born and he is considered to be useless and of no value. The pig is saved by a little girl called Fern Arable. She adopts the pig and takes care of it. She gives him the name Wilbur.

Fern grows sad when Wilbur grows up and has to be sent away to a farm owned by her uncle. She has a strong relationship with Wilbur. When Wilbur goes to the farm, all the other farm animals ignore him and he’s left crying for his human friend. One day he hears a voice, but he can’t see anything. This voice promises to become friends with him.

The voice belongs to a small spider called Charlotte. Charlotte the spider knows that the farmers are planning to kill Wilbur. She promises to make a plan to save his life. The farmers are surprised the next day when they see the words “some pig” written in the web* Charlotte has made. Charlotte asked for the other animals’ help over the day to write messages everywhere.

Wilbur is sad when Charlotte disappears. But in the end, her baby spiders turn out to be great company for the pig. They continue to protect each other and the story ends well.

*webs are the sticky traps that spiders make.

2.Mieko and the Fifth Treasure – Eleanor Coerr

This book is not really so famous, but it is on the recommended book list. What’s great about “Mieko and the Fifth Treasure” is that it’s short. At only 77 pages long, this will be an easy read. Again this book is aimed at young native English speakers, so if you’re learning English, the level won’t be so difficult. This book will keep you interested as you’ll learn many interesting things about Japan and its culture.

Plot Summary

This is an emotional story about Mieko. Mieko is a talented artist and calligrapher (handwriting artist). Her hand is badly hurt during the bombings of the war. The scared little girl is sent to live with her grandparents in the countryside where it is safer.

Mieko is worried and afraid that she’s lost her 5th treasure – the “beauty in her heart.” This treasure is the key to her happiness and her beautiful art.

Mieko starts a new school. Her new classmates are mean. They constantly laugh at her and tease her which just makes her angrier. Her grandparents eventually manage to lift her darkness through their patience and wisdom. She also finds a good friend in Yoshi. Yoshi is one classmate who is really kind.

Mieko also grows close to Yoshi’s aunt. Her friend’s aunt is strict, but kind and encourages Mieko to pick up her paintbrushes again.

3.The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton

This short novel is perfect for EFL learners. It has modern themes and typical teenage issues that people around the world have experienced. There are very few cultural notes in this, which means you don’t need much background information. The sentences are short and easy to understand. The vocabulary is also very easy. You should be able to read this book without difficulty.

Plot Summary

Ponyboy Curtis is one of the main characters. He is a part of a gang of teenagers called the Greasers. After he leaves the movie theater one day, he’s attacked by a rival (enemy) gang. Ponyboy’s friends chase the group away and he is saved.

The next evening, Ponyboy and his friends go to watch a movie again. They sit behind a few pretty girls from the other gang. They end up sitting together with the girls. Ponyboy and Cherry learn that they have a lot of things in common even though they are from different gangs. The boys begin to walk the girls’ home, but on the way they meet the girls’ boyfriends. The girls have to leave so a fight does not begin.

Because Ponyboy arrives late at home his brother becomes angry. This causes them to fight. As a result Ponyboy tries to run away from home. They meet up with the rival gang again and yet another fight begins. This time one of the enemies is killed.

Ponyboy is really scared. They hide in a church and try to hide their appearance by dyeing (coloring) their hair. A number of different fights break out between the two gangs. Eventually Ponyboy wakes up in the hospital.

A trial is set in the courtroom and the judge has to decide Ponyboy’s fate (future). Is he guilty or not guilty?

4. The House On Mango Street – Sandra Cisneros

The great thing about “The House On Mango Street” is that it’s an interesting read. It’s written from the point of view of the writer. You can really feel what the protagonist (the main character) feels. The sentences are really short so it’s also easy to understand. There are a few challenging words and a little bit of descriptive language, but you can usually understand them with the context. Another great thing about this is book is that it gives you a deep understanding of a different culture.

Plot Summary

This book follows the life of Esperanza, a Mexican girl. The novel takes place over the period of one year. Esperanza moves into a new home on Mango Street. The house is much better than her old one. It is the first house her parents have ever owned – all their other houses have been rented. Esperanza is not very happy because she had been dreaming of a different home – a bigger one. Their new house is old and small. The house is located in a busy Latino area of Chicago. In the new home, Esperanza feels like she has no time to be alone. She promises herself that one day she will leave and have her own home.

Throughout the novel the young girl grows up a lot. The story follows her life as she makes friends, her body changes and she begins to have feelings for a boy. With her new friends, she has many adventures. When she goes back to school after the vacation Esperanza is embarrassed about her family being poor. She writes poetry secretly to make her feel better.

There is a lot of focus on other women in the community and Esperanza hopes never to be like them. Through watching the older women and how they are stuck, she knows that she wants to leave.

5.Thirteen Reasons Why – Jay Asher

This story takes place in the present, which means the writer writes using simple grammar. All sentences are short and the vocabulary is relatively easy. The interesting grammar and short paragraphs make this a quick and easy book for ESL learners. This is an award-winning book and on the NY Times best books list, so it’s worth a read. This book deals with some heavy issues. If you’re looking for something light and happy to read over the summer vacation, you should not read this book.

Plot Summary

The main character is Clay Jensen, a quiet high school student. He comes home from school to find a parcel at his front door. He does not know who sent it. He opens it and discovers 7 cassette tapes. These tapes are from Hannah Baker, his previous classmate. She had emotional problems and has committed suicide (killed herself).

The tapes came with instructions. The paper stated that they should pass the tapes from one student to another student. There are 12 people in total. In the paper, she explains to these people that they helped her die – she gives them 13 reasons. Hannah also sends another set of tapes to a different person. She gives them a strong warning that if they don’t pass the first set of tapes onto the next person, the whole school will know how they were a part of her death.

We hear about her pain. She talks about her first kiss, people who lied to her and stole from her. Everything started with gossip. The gossip then grew and became out of control. The book follows each person’s story and the reason why she felt hurt including her English teacher who didn’t take her seriously.

6.Peter Pan – J.M. Barrie

Almost everyone knows the story of “Peter Pan” which is why this is an easy read. Being familiar with a story already helps the reader to understand the text better. This book is aimed at children, but it continues to be enjoyed by adults around the world too.

Plot Summary

Every night Peter visits the Darling family house and listens to Mrs. Darling tell bedtime stories. He sits on the window listening. One evening, they see Peter trying to escape. As he tries to run away, he loses his shadow. He goes back to get his shadow. He wakes up the daughter of the house, Wendy Darling. Wendy helps him attach his shadow to his body again. Wendy tells him she knows a lot of bedtime stories too.

Peter invites Wendy to return to Neverland with him. He wants her to be the mother of the Lost Boys. Wendy agrees to the mission and asks for her brothers Michael and John to join them.

They have a magical flight as they travel to Neverland and have many adventures along the way. Wendy is nearly killed and the boys build her a house in the trees to recover. After Wendy is okay, she takes the role of the mother.

After all their adventures and fun, Wendy decides that her place is at home with their mother. Wendy helps all the Lost Boys return to London. But Peter doesn’t want her to go. Instead he tries to trick her. He tells her that their mother doesn’t want them anymore. However, he understands how sad their mother must be. In the end, he decides to let them go home.

7.The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemmingway

This is a famous classic. Almost all native English speakers will have read this book at some point in school. So, if you ever find yourself in a conversation about literature and books, this is a good one to talk about. At some points it has a little bit of difficult vocabulary, however, it is short and you won’t have too much trouble being able to finish it.

Plot Summary

This is a story of a long fight between an old, experienced fisherman and the best fish he ever caught. Santiago has returned to the village without any fish for 84 days. The young boy who helps Santiago is told by his parents to join another boat. But the young boy continues to help the fisherman at night.

On the eighty-fifth day, his luck changes and so does his life.  Santiago sails his boat further away. He drops his fishing lines. At 12 pm, a huge fish (a marlin) takes the bait (the food used to attract fish). The man tries to pull the fish up, but the fish is too big and strong. Instead, the fish begins to pull the boat. The old man continues to fight and hold on to the line. The fish pulls the boat around the sea for two days.

On the third day, the fish gets tired. Santiago is able to pull the fish closer and kill it. It’s the biggest fish he has seen in his life. He begins to sail back to the village, but the blood of the fish attracts sharks. The boat is attacked by a Mako shark, but Santiago is able to kill it. He kills most of the sharks, but there is a problem. They have eaten the meat of the fish and now only the skeleton (bones) is left. He returns back to his home and falls asleep.

All the people of the village are amazed at the size of the fish skeleton. The young boy agrees to be the fishing partner of Santiago once more.

8.The Giver – Lois Lowry

“The Giver” begins in a very interesting way and catches the attention of the readers from the beginning. It has easy-to-understand grammar. Most of the grammar is just past simple and past perfect. All of the sentences are short and there is no confusion in the story. This is a longer book. It’s really easy though, so you’ll finish it quickly.

Plot Summary

Jonas is a young boy. He lives a very safe life with a lot of order and rules. There are many rules and everyone follows them. The citizens’ lives are planned for them and they don’t often make a decision by themselves.

They try not to say anything different. One rule is that you must never say anything that will make another person uncomfortable. Every husband and wife is matched by a special committee. Each family has two children, one boy and one girl.

When Jonas and the rest of his group become the “Twelves” in December, they get special jobs. Because Jonas is smart and respected, he is given an extra special job. His new job is to become the Receiver of Memories. The Receiver of Memories is the only person in the group who can see all of the memories in the past. He must keep these memories secret until he trains another person to take his place. This job is really difficult. This person knows things that others do not, and they also have to deal with all of the sadness from the past.

At first Jonas is really excited. But he soon learns some truths about the people in the community. He comes to understand that this kind of life is unfair. He wants to allow people to make their own choices. Jonas comes up with an interesting plan to change the community. He decides he needs to move the community to another place. In his plan, they will get their memories back and be able to live a good and fair life.

9.Number the Stars – Lois Lowry

This is a realistic novel. It’s based on history. Unlike other historical literature, it’s easy to understand. If you already know a lot of information about World War II, this might be an interesting book for you. It’s not recommended if you don’t know too much about the World Wars. In this case, you will be focusing on trying to understand the facts too much so you will not enjoy the book as much.

Plot Summary

This is a story of hope and courage. The year is 1943 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The area has been taken over by Hitler’s army. There are soldiers everywhere. The life of 10-year-old Annemarie has changed a lot. There is little food and everyone is very scared. There is talk about moving all of the Jewish people to another place. This is difficult for Annemarie because her best friend, Ellen, is Jewish.

This is a different book about the war. It shows it was not only the Jewish people who suffered during the war. Annemarie’s family lost their eldest daughter, Lise, a few weeks before her wedding.

Annemarie will later do what her sister, Lise, did. She will join the resistance party to fight against the Nazis. She ends up being a heroine (a female hero) for a few reasons (which I will not tell you because I don’t want to ruin the story).

10.A Wrinkle In Time – Madeline L’engle

This book has a mix of shorter and longer sentences. The short sentences allow the readers to relax a little bit more. They also create the scene well and let you know what is happening through simple words. There is a lot of vocabulary to learn. It is a good book if you’ve already got experience reading novels in English. Make sure you have your vocabulary notebook with you, just in case there are any cool words that you’d like to learn. This book has MANY!

Plot Summary

Meg is 14-years-old. Everyone sees her as a troublemaker (a person who makes/causes trouble). They think she’s a bad student. Everyone in her family seems to be perfect. Her mom is a very beautiful scientist. Her twin brothers are very athletic. And her little 5-year-old brother, Charles Wallace Murry, is a child genius and can often read the mind of Meg.

One night Meg can’t sleep. She goes downstairs to find her young brother sitting at the kitchen table drinking milk. Later their mom joins them. A strange neighbor called Mrs. Whatsit joins them. Mrs. Whatsit is talking a lot and says that the “tesseract” is real. We (the readers) don’t know what this means, but Mrs. Murry knows what it is. She looks like she is going to faint (fall down from sickness or fear).

Meg and her brother meet a friend the next day. Calvin O’Keefe is a high school junior student. Together, the three of them go to visit an old haunted house which belongs to Mrs. Whatsit. While going there they meet Mrs. Whatsit’s friend, Mrs. Who. Mrs. Who is also very strange. Meg and Calvin begin to like each other. Charles suddenly announces that they should focus on finding their father who is lost somewhere in the universe.

Strange things happen and the older women turn into supernatural (not from Earth) beings. They transport the kids to the universe by the “tesseract.” They stop and visit different planets on the way. The women tell the children that the universe is being attacked by the “Black thing” (the devil).

They find out where Meg’s father is being kept. Charles tries to use his psychic (in his mind) powers to see where their dad is. Eventually they find their dad, but not without drama. Along the way, Meg learns to love. She uses this new love to help them escape.

There are so many cool and fun books to read. It’s always better to find books that are for middle school readers in the US so the language and ideas will never be too difficult to understand.

Reading is a wonderful way to improve your English. It’s an awesome way to learn new vocabulary. It’s a great way to learn how to guess what things mean and at the same time enjoy English in another way. Reading opens your mind.

Reference 10 Great and Easy English Books You Must Read | FluentU English. (2017). Fluentu.com. Retrieved 11 December 2017, from https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/easy-simple-english-books-read-beginners/  

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Reasons Why Reading is So Important

Everyone knows that reading is important, but have you ever asked yourself why that is so? In this post, I will list out 8 reasons why reading is important. I hope you can really find out the reason why reading is so important for you, so you can get a brand new desire to explore the world of reading.

1. Expose Yourself to New Things

Through reading, you expose yourself to new things, new information, new ways to solve a problem, and new ways to achieve one thing. Who knows – you might find your new hobbies within it. Who knows – you might actually explore one thing you really like and it may end up becoming your career and success in the future. Exploration begins from reading and understanding.

2. Self Improvement

Reading does help you form a better you, doesn’t it?  Through reading, you begin understand the world more. Through reading, you begin to have a greater understanding on a topic that interest you; for example: how to build self confidence, how to make plan better before taking action, how to memorize things better and more. All of these self improvements start from the reading; through reading, you create a structured path towards a better understanding and better actions to take in the future.

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.  -Charles W. Elio-

3. Improve Understanding

The more you read, the more you understand one thing: the A to Z of a thing. Let me give an example here: reading allows you learn more about crocodiles and their habits. That you need to be aware of places it usually lurks for, the purpose of staying away from being harmed or bitten. Or perhaps you can try by real life experience, in approaching the crocodile, to see what happen. It can also help you find out the truth of something, right? Reading also increases the understanding of the rules of life, in order for you to adapt, adopt and accommodate into the society better. To play well in a game, you first need to understand the rules well.

4. Preparation to Action

Before you take action on anything, where should you seek for help and guidance? Reading is an essential way which can help you out. In today’s world, getting reviews and feedback from other people can make a big impact on your next decision, and the pros and cons of each choice. Read about how to cook a meal; how to play chess; which place is nice for the holiday family trip; read the menu before ordering food, read the manual before using a new gadget. These all can help you become more prepared before you really get into it.

Read > Learn > Do > Achieve

Reading is a starting step of many things, which build a more solid stairs for you to climb up achieving something big out there.

5. Gain Experience from Other People

When you are reading, you are actually gaining the knowledge and experience of someone. It can hasten your success towards a goal, as you don’t need to repeat the same mistake while focusing on the right path in achieving one thing. It’s like a mountain of gems for you to discover in books, which contain people’s successes, failures and advice. Life is too short for you to keep repeating the mistakes that had been done by other people in the past, in order for you to reach the results that someone might already reached. There are more than four thousand billionaires and 12 million millionaires today. To become one of them, the first thing is to learn and get to know their past, what they did in the past that makes them where they are today. Reading is a great path to get to know them, and learn from these great people.

The art of reading is in great part that of acquiring a better understanding of life from one’s encounter with it in a book.  | André Maurois

6. Tools of Communicating

Communication is the most important tool which can be transmitted through reading. As you communicate through reading, you understand more, and thus you can communicate better with people. As with a person that knows nothing, he hasn’t had anything to share, and he probably doesn’t even understand what people are sharing. Through reading, you build a more solid foundation for communication. It is one of the most important tools we use every day to connect with each other. Whereas if you don’t read, you can’t even connect with the world and what people are talking about out there, including understanding what this article is all about. Reading connects you with the world.

7. Connecting Your Brain

When reading, you’re in full silence because reading connects directly to your brain. In silence, you seek for more; in silence, your brain is clear and focuses. Thus, you learn and grow, and therefore you feel and see from the point of view of the author about everything in life. Hence you shape a better self.

Because silence exists with total abandon, it is fearless. Because silence is fearless, it holds the power that can break through any barrier. | On Silence

8. Boost Imagination and Creativity

Reading exposes you to a world of imagination, showing you nothing is impossible in this world. By reading, you are exploring a different angle to see a thing you’ve known, on how different action leads to different results. Books are beyond imagination. It’s like a huge spider web, where you keep linking to more and more to things you knew, and things you just learn, structuring  new solutions and answer.

Reference 

Wong, J. (2017). 8 Reasons Why Reading is So Important | Inspiration Boost. Inspirationboost.com. Retrieved 11 December 2017, from http://www.inspirationboost.com/8-reasons-why-reading-is-so-important 

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SOME TIPS FOR READING DIFFICULT OR CHALLENGING MATERIAL

Most of you have told me that you're in school so that you can "get a better job." The working world is difficult - and employers are willing to pay for people who can think their way through a problem. The skills you learn by learning to read and understand difficult material are precisely the kinds of skills that employers are willing to pay you for in that "better job."

Many students treat all reading in the same way, and this prevents them from getting the most out of their reading time. Ask yourself what your "purpose" is when you sit down to read. Are you skim reading to get the gist of the material, or are you reading for detail? Are you trying to pull out the main ideas - or looking for how the author applies her ideas? Are there key concepts or facts that have to be committed to memory? As an active reader, you must recognize that not all reading materials are the same. Would you read the comics in the newspaper the same way you would read information about the side effects of a medication you are taking? No, of course not! Try to recognize that some texts are harder than others, and some texts require completely different reading strategies. First - determine your purpose in reading the material.

No, I haven't lost my mind! Every time you reach for your highlighter - INSTEAD, stop, think, and write yourself a note in the margin, or on a separate sheet of paper if you don't want to mark the book (sticky notes work well if you don't want to write in a book). The note should say exactly what you were thinking when you went to highlight the material. For example: "this 'idea' is important because...." or "this word means...." You will find that these little notes to yourself mean much more when you come back to review the text than streaks of highlighter. They will guide you weeks, months or even years later, when you come back to the material.

If you have questions, try putting a question mark in the margin, to cue you to ask your instructor, or look the concept up in a dictionary. Better yet - try to find out the meaning as you are reading. It can be slow going, but if you are reading without understanding, you are wasting your time. Making notes instead of highlighting gets you more involved in the reading process.

When experts read difficult materials, they read "actively." This includes adjusting their reading speed - they tend to read very slowly, and re-read sections often. They make notes as they read and keep a dictionary close by - one for basic words they don't understand, and another more specific, subject oriented dictionary (like the Dictionary of Sociology, or a medical dictionary, depending on your discipline). Circle or make a note of any word or concept you don't understand, and look it up, then write down the meaning in your own words, or in easy to understand words.We all need to work hard to learn and develop a specialized vocabulary. Reading with the proper tools close by will help you to succeed.

All writing is part of a bigger conversation, although many introductory and technical readings are meant to equip you with the basic skills and vocabulary to enter into higher level conversations. Many students fail to "get" their reading, because they cannot see the bigger conversation of which their assigned reading is a part. For some materials, it helps to find out who the author is, when did they live, and where? Why did the author write what you are reading? For other kinds of materials, it does not really matter who wrote the material, but it does help to understand what part of your discipline the material is meant to help you to understand.

Sometimes it helps to consider to whom the piece you are reading appears to be addressed. Is it meant for other scholars or people who have specialized knowledge? Is it meant for people who do not know anything about the area/field of study? Is it addressed to the general public, or just to specialists?

Active reading also means considering the author's purpose. Is the author trying to convince the reader to take action? To convince the reader that someone else is wrong, and the author's view is right?

When you are just learning to read difficult texts, you are likely to treat all the words the same - but they are not the same! Experienced readers are able to break a reading down into parts - sometimes sentences, sometimes paragraphs, sometimes whole sections of books. The main point is that writers use words to do different things. An experienced reader will break down the reading into chunks and say "this part is giving evidence for a claim the writer made" and "this part summarizes her argument" and "this part is telling me what is to come in the next section?" Some entire books may be lists and lists of facts - if you can break these up into logical groups, it will help you to understand and remember the reading.

Most pieces of writing are designed to change the reader's mind or convince the reader of something. Your job as a reader is to understand what the text is saying, but also to enter into a conversation with the author. As you begin to understand what the author is saying, ask yourself if you agree or disagree. Listen, react - write it down. If you were in a "live" conversation, you would be playing an active part - it's the same when you are reading. (Not all reading material is a conversation - for instance, a technical manual on wiring electrical circuits is probably pretty factual, but at some level in every discipline, there are conversations and arguments going on.)

When you're reading, take a paragraph and write a sentence, in your own words, that re-states what the paragraph says (this is hard, but worth the effort!). Then, think about what the paragraph "does" for the author: i.e., gives evidence, summarizes someone else's argument, provides background information. Or, if the paragraph is filled with a myriad of technical facts and information - try to summarize them into one or two main points in your own words. This active process will help you to remember what the paragraph is saying.

You are responsible for understanding assigned readings not covered in class. Many students are poor readers because of a vicious cycle: professors explain readings because students are poor readers - then students stay poor readers because they know professors will explain the readings. By realizing YOU are responsible for learning the material, you will engage with the material at a much deeper level, and learn much more.

Every discipline, from history to nursing to engineering to aquaculture has its own language. Many students are frustrated and overwhelmed when they start to read materials that have a lot of unfamiliar words and concepts. Additionally, to understand any piece of writing, the reader has to understand the "cultural codes" implicit in the content of the text. This may mean understanding the culture in which the text was written, the disciplinary context, the idiosyncrasies of the original language, or knowing something about the historical period in which the text was written.

To illustrate the importance of cultural codes to readers, [Bean uses] a "Far Side" cartoon showing a group of partying dogs, hoisting drinks inside a doghouse. One dog is speaking to another; the caption says, "Oh hey! Fantastic party! Tricksy! Fantastic!....Say, do you mind telling me which way to the yard?" Understanding this cartoon requires a surprising amount of cultural knowledge:

That dogs in middle-class America frequently live in dog houses.

That at middle-class parties, people stand around holding drinks.

That bathrooms are often hard to find in middle-class homes, so guests have to ask the host discretely where they are located.

That middle-class homes have backyards.

That dogs relieve themselves in backyards.(Bean, 1996, p. 141).

This is hard stuff - and you're not going to learn overnight. Never, never think that you don't understand because you're not smart enough. You CAN understand it - sometimes you just need some help. I can guarantee you that if you are wondering what something means, at least two or three other people (and usually more) are also wondering. Be brave, ask for help and clarification, ask questions in class, look words up in the dictionary. And remember to pace yourself and take breaks. No one can read hard stuff for hours at a time, so be nice to yourself!

Reference

 Some Tips for Reading Difficult or Challenging Material. (2017). Media-studies.ca. Retrieved 11 December 2017, from http://media-studies.ca/articles/difficult_reading.htm

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Reading Is The Key To Success.

It is not a secret that reading is the key to success; we have been told and taught this from a very early age. Remember all those book reports you had to do for free pizza in elementary school? And now in the age of the internet — reading, writing, and communication skills are more valuable than any other skills you possess. What is the key to great communication and writing skills? You guessed it, reading.

It has been proven that children who read better, preform better in school and have a more active imagination, leading to a larger world and more possibilities for success. I have been reading well for a long time; my mother taught me to read before I went to preschool and I can say that having that knowledge early made my school days a breeze. Even in classes that were not my strong suit, being able to at least read the material well and understand it to the best of my ability often saved me. (Of course, this goes back to reading comprehension, which goes hand and hand with reading well. And children who were taught early tend to read better.) But, you probably don’t want to read about one person’s story, because everyone is different.

So, let’s go over some facts:

26% of children who were read to three or four times a week by a family member reconized all of the alphabet; compared to 14% of children who were read to less often.

The National Education Association (NEA) also reported that children who were read to more often were more likely to count to 20 or higher, (60% of those who were read to compared to 44% who were not or read to less often.) more likely to write their own names, (54% to 40%) and were more likely to read or pretend to read. (77% to 57%) Those numbers are pretty steep, showing a direct corroletion between reading and milestones. (milestones equal success for a child and often for the parent as well.) In fact, children’s academic success aged 9 and 10 can be linked to the amount of words they hear from birth through the age of 3. But yet, the NEA reported that in 1999 only about 53% of children aged 3 to 5 were read to every day by a family member.

We can talk about these positive statistics all day, but the truth is there is also a dark side to this reading success…Some would call it a word gap. By 18 months, children from disadvantaged homes are already several months behind other children in terms of language proficiency. Unfortunately, this gap grows rather than shrinks over elementary school years.

In America, 1 out of 4 children grow up without learning to read, and students who don’t read proficiently by 3rd grade are 4 times more likely to drop out of school. 2/3 of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of 4th grade are more likely to end up in jail or on welfare; 70% of America’s inmates cannot read above a 4th grade level.

Reference

Reading Is The Key To Success. – Educasic – Medium. (2017). Medium. Retrieved 11 December 2017, from https://medium.com/@educasic/reading-is-the-key-to-success-4a94e56ff0e3

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Strategies to Motivate Yourself to Read More

No Pressure

Many people make reading less enjoyable by forcing themselves to read things they don't like or finish every book they start. Unless you're taking a class with required reading, realizing you are free to stop or start a book at any time can make reading more fun. Gretchen Rubin, author of the bestselling book "The Happiness Project," writes that feeling forced to finish books will dampen your enthusiasm and keep you from discovering titles you'll actually enjoy. By contrast, choosing books by favorite authors that are focused on your interests can motivate you to read more often.

Turn the TV Off

Television can be a fun activity, but for many Americans, it becomes a life-consuming habit. In 2012, the U.S. Labor Department reported in its annual American Time Use Survey that Americans actually spent more time watching television than working. Deciding to change your TV viewing habits can open up hours of free time to spend reading. Getting rid of cable, recording your favorite shows to watch later or simply choosing to not turn the TV on can inspire you to delve into the imaginative world of reading.

Join a Book Club

Reading a book doesn't have to be a solitary activity. Joining a book club gives you a community for literary conversation and holds you accountable for finishing books. Participating in discussions and watching the story unfold along with the group can be powerful motivations to read. Similarly, if you have children, you can inspire enthusiasm for reading in your home by making it a family activity. Listening to books on tape together or reading a family-friendly book out loud each evening can instill the value of reading in your kids while motivating you at the same time.

Get an E-Reader

As e-readers become more popular, more Americans are making reading a regular habit. A 2012 Pew Research Center report showed that 21 percent of Americans have read an e-book. The increase in reading isn't exclusive to electronics, however; the same survey revealed that 88 percent of e-reader users also read print books. Rubin says an added benefit of e-readers is that you can take books everywhere. Rather than daydreaming or playing with your cellphone, you can use the time you spend waiting in line or at the doctor's office to continue reading a compelling story.

Reference

   Classroom.synonym.com. (2017). Strategies to Motivate Yourself to Read More | Synonym. [online] Available at: http://classroom.synonym.com/strategies-motivate-yourself-read-5146.html [Accessed 6 Dec. 2017]. 

[readingcluba-blog]

5 Ways to become a  Better reader

Language and literacy are among mankind’s greatest inventions. Evolving and even dying over the course of human history, languages are a reflection of our cultural and societal attitudes. Today, surrounded by social media, television, movies, billboards, and, of course, books, the ability to read and write is crucial to forming an identity and expressing one’s feelings. Most humans acquire language in early childhood and speak fluently when they are about three years old, but our continued relationship with language gives shape and meaning to our lives. Here are 5 ways to become a better reader.

Take it slow.

Many readers feel that they read too slowly, especially compared with others, but the truth is that the faster you read, the less likely you are to comprehend fully what you’re reading. The best readers are flexible—slowing down when needed, especially if weighty concepts or unknown words are grouped closely together—and always have a dictionary at hand. If you get to the end of a paragraph and realize you haven’t absorbed any of the information, do not hesitate to re-read the passage. Reading is a lifelong process: learning to read closely and slowly will help you become faster over time without missing anything.

Read aloud.

When humans first began reading written words, it was unusual to read in silence. Though generally inappropriate for commuters or for late-night adventurers, reading out loud is one of the best ways to improve your reading ability. You may feel silly reading to your cat (or to no one at all), but once you get into the rhythm of the author’s voice, you will begin to read more accurately and with better vocal expression. Try listening to the author reading their own work—you’ll be surprised to find how clearly it comes through on the page.

Feel it.

Can you remember the first piece of writing that transported you to another world? One of the most powerful moments in a young, fluent reader’s life is learning to enter into the lives of imagined heroes and heroines. Subtleties of language and perspective become potent clues to deeper underlying meanings, and are easy to miss for even the most seasoned readers. As you read, let the language inform your pace, give pause to important gestures and dialogue, and allow striking ideas to simmer. In no time, you’ll be appreciating novels like fine wine.

Write.

Writing and reading go hand-in-hand: how and what you read affects how and what you write, and the best readers often make the best writers. But while much can be learned from close, repeated readings, there are many secretive pleasures to language that can only be experienced through the practice of writing. This is why certain authors are labeled “writer’s writers”; another level of meaning and intense appreciation exists for those who create rather than simply observe. Try writing every day for a month; you will never read the same again.

Tell your friends.

All of literature is essentially communication from an individual’s inner voice to an audience. Though Franz Kafka’s dying wish was that all of his works—written in obscurity, often late at night, and mostly unpublished—be burned, aren’t we glad his friend, Max Brod, didn’t listen? There is something magical about sharing books with friends or a book club. It’s a good way to see the world from someone else’s eyes and, in the process, critically examine your own reaction to what you’re reading.

Reference

 5 Ways to Become a Better Reader. (2017). Lifehack. Retrieved 6 December 2017, from http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/5-ways-to-become-a-better-reader.html