Reading is very important for everybody, but especially for children in that it affects their ability to learn and thrive in the future. However, children will not develop the habit of reading if their parents do not often spend time reading with them and providing an environment for enjoyable reading. Understanding this, YWAM Mercy recently organized a training for students, parents and teachers of one Hoai Duc Secondary School to inspire them toward reading books.
The training included instruction on how to encourage a reading habit and build a child-friendly reading environment, for example:
- How to motivate and encourage children to read books.
- How to build a reading corner at home.
- Steps to read a book effectively.
- Making plans for reading books.
- Selecting books that are useful and suitable according to a child’s age.
Afterwards, children and parents understood the importance of reading books. Interactive teaching methods held attendees attention with open sharing, practical experience, group discussions as well as games and quiz competitions.
“My work selling scrap is very hard but I still have optimism. This is because whenever I’m stressed, I read books to calm down. Useful contents in books makes me more comfortable. My children also enjoy reading books. They are very respectful to us as parents and learn very well. Books are very important in my life.”
We also instructed students and parents how to set objectives or “SMART” goals for themselves. In small groups they discussed possible plans and created their own goals for reading books.
