Teaching children to read can teach us to write. This struck me one day as I sat down with my son to do some reading.
Watch my video below to find out what the similarities are.
Hello my lovely writers, how are you?
Today it struck me how teaching children to read can teach us to write.
My son is ten years old and has always found reading and writing a challenge. He’s getting towards the upper stages of primary school, which is the time when he has to think about high school. It’s the time when I have to knuckle down with him and do some serious reading because, although he knows the rules of reading, he doesn’t practise them.
When we first started reading, he was very resistant. He came up with all kinds of excuses about why he couldn’t do it or why there was something else more important he should be doing.
Then, when that didn’t work, he’d have a bit of a temper tantrum. He’d start huffing and puffing and trying to cause arguments so I’d get distracted and wouldn’t sit down with him to do the reading.
When we’d eventually sit down to do the reading, it was fine. On the days he got to choose the book, he was confident and the reading flowed. Although he’d never admit it, he does enjoy reading.
On days when the book is harder and the words don’t flow, he finds it tougher. We get more tears and we get more tantrums before we get to the end of the book, but then he realises he did it and that it was all okay.
How teaching children to read can teach us to write
Today he read me a story. It was a simple story but he read it with emotion, with intonation and with ease and he enjoyed reading it. It got me thinking about us as writers and the parallels between my son learning to read and us learning to write.
My son has the advantage, I would say, because he’s got me on his back telling him, ‘You’re doing this,’ and he can’t get out of it. I force him into reading even when he doesn’t want to. Even when there are tears, he has to sit down and do the reading.
I wish I could do that for each and every one of you who finds it hard to get to the page. I wish I could come to your house and tell you, ‘You’re going to do this. Sit down and get the words done.’ But I can’t.
You’ve got to be your own Emma on your back telling you, ‘You’ve got to do this.’
You’ve got to hold yourself accountable, get yourself sitting down and doing it, even when you’re crying, even when you want to have a tantrum, even when it’s difficult. Because, as I’m seeing with my son after just a few weeks, he is improving no end with his reading.
Consistency grows confidence
He’s so much more confident and comfortable with his reading. Yes, of course, there are glitchy moments and sticky moments when it feels hard, but it’s the same for you.
After a few weeks of doing this every day, of doing this consistently, you will find it easier and easier as you go along. Of course, there are still going to be glitchy days when it feels messy and sticky but, overall, your confidence, capabilities and competency are going to increase tenfold, twenty-fold or more if you continue to do it.
So, your challenge is, next time you have put some time aside to write and you hear Mr Procrastination in the background saying there are dishes to be done or filing to be done, I want you to hear Emma’s voice on top of that being very stern and in a good Scottish accent saying to you, ‘Get that work done.’
If you can hear me in the back of your head, maybe it will scare you enough to sit down and do the writing. But learning to read, learning to write, is all the same thing. We’ve just got to practise.
So get practising.
Emma xx
Emma Dhesi
Emma Dhesi is an author mindset coach and bestselling author who helps writers let go of perfectionism, self-doubt and writer’s block through her signature programme, Unlock Your Creative Block.
She is the host of the YouTube Channel, Emma Dhesi, where she interviews debut and experienced authors alike.
Through her 1:1 coaching programme, Emma helps new authors start and finish their first novel.
Emma provides personal written feedback on their pages and guides them through the emotional rollercoaster that is writing a novel!
