Oh, those summer reading lists languishing on the refrigerator, now obscured by camp schedules and pizza coupons. Many students hate these well-intentioned lists, the required books, thoughtfully chosen by librarians and teachers. Even children who love to read are often wildly resistant to being told what they HAVE to read during summer vacation. Sure, some children rip right through their summer reading lists, encouraged by library programs that offer prizes and recognition to prolific readers. Other students just read the required books because they are supposed to. And then there are the “rebels,” children who object to the intrusion of anything with the whiff of formal education during the summer months. What’s a parent to do?

Now that summer is coming to a close, try some of these tips to help your child’s required reading go a little more smoothly.

Create a reading plan with your child. Using a calendar, look at how many days there are left until school begins, and then make a schedule for finishing summer reading. The calendar will help you both visually see how few days are left, and put the responsibility for dividing and completing the requirement on your child.

Set aside a consistent time each day for reading. Depending on your family’s schedule, reading time might be in the morning, afternoon or before bed. Whatever time you choose, stick to it as much as possible.

Alternate required reading with a reward. Your child will be more motivated to read if the task is followed by something fun.

Read books together and discuss them. You can read aloud together by taking turns by page, or you can get two copies of the book and each read silently. In either case, tell your child what you are thinking as you read and ask your child questions. By reading and discussing books together, you are modeling various ways for children to look at literature. For example, “What do you think this chapter says about the main character’s personality?”; “What will happen next?”; “Do you think the main character was right in what he did?” etc…

Consider an E-Reader. We all know that children love electronics. With an e-reader, your students can customize colors and fonts, and conveniently carry his/her summer reading in a pocket or purse. Anything that makes reading fun and easy is worth a try.

If your child is struggling with reading, try audio books. When reading is hard, using the audio version while reading along in the book is a good way to get through the text.

Studies show that students who read over their summer break perform better on academic testing in the fall, and their first quarter grades see a huge boost. It’s not too late to make up for lost time. Make a plan, commit to summer reading and get it done!