Finding the Fun Again

by Agatha Regal-Guerra, Guest Contributor

Reading is a necessity. Reading is fundamental. Reading is fun. Ok, enough with the short sentences that don’t convey too much. “Reading is a necessity” is important because information is key to a clear path to what we want or need. “Reading is fundamental” creates basic building blocks. “Reading is fun” is the truth (says this language arts teacher).

I sincerely believe if you present something with enthusiasm and/or intrigue (for example-read only to a cliffhanger) and use humor, you will be able to find fun teaching the literary material you are presenting. It’s the extensions to the material that can also help with comprehension for a student.

In my class (5th grade language arts) when we read Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, they get to make a wardrobe and present it. We were very successful with this project.

Finding the fun again will require creating, laughing, sharing (virtually or from 3-6ft away?), but most certainly will involve a positive open mind to joviality. As teachers we can make it fun, but so can parents. The following are three websites that showcase suggestions on how to make it fun:

• https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/raise-a-reader-blog/make-reading-fun-the se-3-easy-tips.html

• https://gradepowerlearning.com/how-to-make-reading-fun/

• https://www.readbrightly.com/how-to-make-reading-fun-25-ideas-kids-will-love/