Encouraging reading in the screen age: ideas for home

With so much technology and so many screens, encouraging reading matters more than ever. At our school we run activities that spark imagination, creativity and a love of books. Because reading is also learning to dream.

What we do at school

• Book fairs where every student chooses what they want to read.
• Storytelling in the courtyard, with characters in full costume.
• Story time in Preschool, in Spanish and in English.
• Critical reading of fiction and non-fiction in Middle School.

Five ideas for home

1. Read together 15 minutes a day, at the same time. Routine matters more than length.
2. Let them choose. A comic book or a dinosaur book builds readers too.
3. Keep books at their height, in sight, away from the TV.
4. Read in both languages. Alternating Spanish and English strengthens both.
5. Set the example: children read in homes where adults read.

Screens, yes — but in balance

Technology is part of learning in our classrooms, but a printed book trains something a screen doesn't: sustained attention. A strong reading habit is one of the best tools you can give your child.

Colegio Real de MinasPrivate bilingual school in Tijuana · Preschool through High School