Getting students to read nightly because they want to is a pretty difficult task.
We all know you really can’t make anyone do anything they don’t want to do. Kids are NO exception…not even a little bit. As teachers, it’s our job to find ways to motivate students to read nightly and share those tips with parents. One of the most common tools teachers use to drive nightly reading is the reading log.
I stopped using them. If you want the full reasoning, I explain it in why teachers should retire reading logs. This post is about what to do instead.
Why Send Tips Home Instead of a Log?
Because the reading happens at home, and you are not there.
A log tries to solve that with paperwork. It asks a parent to verify minutes, which most parents find annoying and some quietly fake, and it gives you a signature instead of a reader.
Handing parents a short list of things that actually work does something a log cannot. It tells a family how to build the habit rather than just demanding proof of it. Most parents want their child reading and have no idea what to do beyond saying “go read.”
The ten tips below are written for parents. Send them home at the start of the year, or any time you need to reset the routine.
10 Tips for Getting Students to Read, Without Reading Logs
I wrote these tips for parents. Feel free to share them at the beginning of the school year or any time throughout. You can also download a PDF version of this list to print.
- Make reading part of your nightly routine. Bedtime is perfect. Children feel like they are getting to stay up later, and it is a great way to wind down from the day.
- Read as a family when you can. Children love sitting with a parent for this. Everyone reads their own book, which also models good reading habits.
- Let your child pick a book that interests them. They are far more likely to read if they are enjoying it. If your child loves Minecraft, let them read a Minecraft how-to guide.
- Set up a comfortable reading spot in your home. A special chair, a blanket, a pile of pillows. It matters more than you would think.
- Read the same book together. Get two copies and read separately, or read one copy at the same time. Taking turns reading out loud is great practice.
- Talk about the book your child is reading. Children love sharing things they have learned.
- Get excited when your child finishes a book! Tell them how proud you are and talk about it.
- Go to the library regularly. Picking out books gets kids excited about reading.
- Reward your child for finishing a book. Not with a sticker or a toy. Let them call a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or cousin and talk about the book. Or let them call a friend and tell them about it.
- Make reading a priority in your household. If your child knows reading matters to you, they learn to value it too.
Which Tips Matter Most
If a family only does one thing from that list, make it number three. Letting a child choose their own book does more than everything else combined.
The most common reason a child says they hate reading is that every book they have touched was assigned. A kid who has never been allowed to abandon a boring book has learned that reading is something done to them.
Two others worth pushing:
Number nine, the reward. This one surprises parents. Rewarding reading with a sticker or a toy teaches a child that reading is the unpleasant thing you get paid to finish. Rewarding it with a conversation teaches them the book was worth talking about.
Number two, reading as a family. Children read more in homes where they see adults reading. A parent scrolling on the couch while telling a child to go read is sending a very clear message about which activity is the fun one.
What Counts as Reading?
This is the question I got most from parents, and the answer is broader than they expect.
Graphic novels count. Audiobooks count, especially for a child whose comprehension is ahead of their decoding. Rereading the same book for the eighth time counts and is genuinely good for fluency. Recipes, game guides, and magazines count.
Reading below grade level for pleasure counts too. A student who reads an easy book they love is building stamina and vocabulary. A student staring at a hard book they were assigned is building resentment.
A Reading Homework Solution for Teachers
If you are no longer using reading logs and want a way to make sure some quality reading happens every night, this may be what you are looking for.
Students get a professionally written, high-interest passage each week. Each night they read the passage and answer four comprehension questions. Repeated readings improve fluency and understanding, and the questions increase in rigor each night and are text dependent.
You can grab a few FREE weeks to try out in your classroom.
Reading at Home FAQs
How do I get my child to read at home?
Let them choose the book, build it into a set time like bedtime, and talk with them about what they read. Choice matters more than any other single factor.
Do audiobooks and graphic novels count as reading?
Yes. Graphic novels build comprehension and vocabulary, and audiobooks are especially valuable for children whose understanding is ahead of their decoding.
How long should my child read each night?
Long enough to build a habit, not so long that it becomes a chore. A child who reads twenty minutes willingly gets far more out of it than one who watches the clock for thirty.
Should I reward my child for reading?
Reward it with attention rather than objects. Let them tell a grandparent about the book or call a friend. Stickers and toys teach a child that reading is the unpleasant part.
What if my child only wants easy books?
Let them. Reading below level for pleasure builds fluency and stamina, and a child who enjoys reading will move up on their own.
What can teachers use instead of reading logs?
Send parents concrete guidance on habits at home, and use a short weekly passage with nightly comprehension questions so you can see actual understanding.
