Engaged or Unengaged Reading?
What is the difference between engaged and unengaged readers?
Engaged readers are not reading because they must. They are drawn to a book which sparks their desire to discover. For example, the child who incessantly asks their parent to take he or she to library to check out books while stating, “I love to read,” is an engaged reader. Unengaged readers primarily read because it is a requirement, especially to receive a grade from school. An example of an unengaged reader is one who reads a paragraph and 5 minutes later if you ask them what they read about, cannot remember one detail.
The number of engaged readers has dwindled. Why? There are so few readers because throughout an individual’s life, reading was a forced activity. It was not done out of pleasure, but out of necessity or to perform as requested by an instructor. Unfortunately, electronics have also invaded the reading arena. More children play video games today. Reading is rarely thought of as an exciting activity.
Is it possible for parents to foster engaged or unengaged reading? Indeed, yes. A parent's perspective on engaging their child affects reading engagement. For example, if a parent respects reading as an experience, their child will become more engaged. In addition, if a parent focuses too much on reading as a task, it could cause the child to become unengaged.
Three long term benefits of reading include; 1. The development of advanced comprehension skills, 2. The ability to learn to read faster, and 3. Vocabulary development.
Keeping your children reading yes, but making sure they are engaged is most important.
