Nonfiction will play an important role in your pre-teen child’s academic journey, especially as they move from learning to read to reading to learn. That’s why it’s so important for kids to develop a passion for reading nonfiction books at an early age — which can involve all the fascination, whimsy, and inspiration of fictional books!
According to Leana Malinowsky, a second-grade teacher and certified reading specialist in New Jersey, children typically become drawn to nonfiction books at the end of first grade — between the ages of 6 and 8 — and the genre’s prominence in their lives only grows from there.
“Nonfiction is primarily the type of text we encounter every day, whether we think about it or not,” Malinowsky says. “That’s why we recommend having even young kids read road signs while you’re driving, or labels and recipes when you’re cooking.”
Whether your pre-teen child is a beginning reader and just being introduced to nonfiction, or they’re a more advanced reader, these five teacher tips will help build excitement for all things nonfiction.
1. Let your kid choose the nonfiction books they want to read.
Lana Cronk, a middle school teacher in Iowa, always lines her daughters’ bookshelves with plenty of nonfiction titles to choose from. “I also put the nonfiction titles at eye level, so when it's time to pick a book, they are naturally drawn to them,” says Cronk.
When it comes to building confidence and excitement around reading, personal choice is key — no matter what the genre may be. “Talk to your children and ask them what they like,” says Malinowsky. “See what nonfiction topics they’re interested in and encourage them to explore those further with you.”
2. Use books to answer questions.
When Cronk and her daughters choose a nonfiction book to read, it often serves the purpose of answering a specific question. “I will look up a video or article online to answer the question and draw their interests,” says Cronk. “This leads to more questions, and more reasons to read a nonfiction book that will answer those questions.”
3. Connect fiction with nonfiction.
If your pre-teen isn’t interested in diving into nonfiction yet, Malinowsky suggests introducing a topic in a fiction book to spark their curiosity. For instance, you can go from reading How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? to Fly Guy Presents: Dinosaurs.
4. Explain all of the book's helpful features.
When your pre-teen begins to dive into nonfiction, it’s important to go over the many different learning features nonfiction books use to engage readers, such as headings, fact boxes, a table of contents, glossaries, and an index.
“Nonfiction books have what we call text and graphic features,” says Malinowsky. Make a habit out of referencing these features in your own nonfiction reading so you're better equipped to teach your children how to navigate them, too.
5. Chat with your child’s teacher.
Malinowsky suggests keeping a constant line of communication open with your child's teacher and reaching out with questions about the books your child is drawn to, topics that are being studied, and suggestions for how to help your child get the most out of the nonfiction books they read during the school year.
“That constant communication will keep parents and teachers updated on where a student has come from in terms of reading, where they are currently, and where they’re going,” says Malinowsky.
Get ready for your child to go back to school with our guide — it's full of recommended books, teacher tips, homework help, and more resources for a successful school year.
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