subject: Thoughts From The Box —"Want your child to read; try animated DVD's!" [print this page] If you let your child view an animated video of a book, he will be less likely to want to read that book. FALSE
Actually, the reverse has been found to be true. Librarians report when a book is televised one day that book will be the most requested book on the next day. This is not difficult to understand. The visual format brings the book to life. The child develops such an interest in the book that a reading scaffold is built. This often leads to an increased vocabulary, broader attention span and expanded thinking skills.
It has been well documented in educational journals that a child acquires knowledge through his senses. If you want to capture a child's attention, you should allow him to experience a subject by seeing it, hearing it and by touching it. Read a book to your child, show him an animated version of that book and let him engage in a craft activity that is related to the story. Your child will gain an emotional attachment to the characters and greater understanding of the plot.
I have a child who had an auditory processing problem when he was growing up. I wished books had been available in the DVD format when he was in school. On more than one occasion, I have shown an animated DVD to pre-K and elementary school classes and followed-up with a discussion about the story. The students excitedly say "Oh, I want to read the book" without me suggesting that they should read it.
Reading is an essential skill that should be mastered in childhood. It has been seen as such a critical acquisition that statistics show if a child is not able to read by the fourth grade, he is more likely to become a high school dropout, commit a crime and potentially be incarcerated. Children who are struggling or reluctant readers must be "turned on" by books and get enough satisfaction from reading that they become independent readers.
Whether you have a struggling reader or not, try introducing your child to an animated version of a book along with a hard copy of that book. Let him experience the treasure that is tucked between the covers of the book. You might be very surprised at the results.
