As the holidays approach, our Director of Literacy Jackie Guy and our English Language Arts Coordinator Rebecca Nakagawa wanted to share some tips for relieving stress through the power of reading for this week’s Mindful Monday.
A Sussex University study reports that reading for as little as 6 minutes was shown to reduce stress levels by nearly 70 percent, making it as effective as taking a walk or engaging in other activities to alleviate stress. Curling up with a good book is not only enjoyable, it can positively impact your mental and social health.
Here are some of our recommendations from IUSD’s Literacy Department:
- Encourage students to read at least 15 minutes a day. Reading builds vocabulary, strengthens content knowledge, can improve concentration, enhance critical and analytical thinking skills, strengthen memory, foster creativity, boost self-esteem and reduce stress. Students gain these benefits, while being introduced to exciting adventures, new people and places, intriguing mysteries and fascinating events in history.
- Read fiction and nonfiction that includes short and long texts. This combination tends to be a key part of the overall recipe for reading success that enables students to improve their reading skills and interest in reading.
- Enable students to read books that are interesting to them. To keep kids reading, it is important to allow them to choose books that are interesting and engaging to them. There are many types of books out there, including graphic novels, which can engage reluctant young and teen readers. Visit your public libraries for read alouds and to explore books. Talk to the librarians, who can make recommendations based on your child’s interests that are age appropriate.
Sometimes, it only takes one character, one book, or one shared experience to change the trajectory of a child’s life.
Additional Resources:
Raising a Reader, Renaissance: What Kids are Reading (includes a variety of resources and information), IUSD Digital Library Access, University Park Public Library, Newport Beach Public Library, IUSD Comics/Graphic Novel Database, ReadWriteThink.org, International Literacy Association, and Raising Strong Readers (tips by age).
Click here for IUSD’s Literacy Tips Flier and visit iusd.org/MindfulMondays to view previous videos.
