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  1. Ways To Help
  2. Help me to be a champion of reading
  • Help me to be a champion of reading
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Help me to be a champion of reading

There are many ways a rangatahi / young person can discover the joys and benefits of reading and become a Champion of Reading.

Some types of reading include: 

  • Learning a new game (including video games) by reading instructions 
  • Following a recipe 
  • Reading signs, billboards and posters 
  • Learning the lyrics to a song 
  • Watching TV with subtitles on 
  • Representing ideas by drawing or painting 
  • Sending texts and messages to your mates 
  • Listening to stories 
  • Even reading a room 

Rangatahi / young people are lucky to live during a time where access to high quality stories is easier than ever. They might prefer to read books or comics or they might choose e-books, podcasts, audiobooks or something else entirely.

You can help them find the many benefits of reading beyond enjoyment and fun, such as strengthening brain connections, reducing stress and building insight and empathy. Supporting and encouraging a rangatahi / young person to be a champion of reading can happen in many ways, some of which don’t involve books at all. 

 

Ben Brown, New Zealand’s first Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador, disputes the idea that young people don’t read. He recommends finding out what your rangatahi / young person enjoys. By doing this, you can help them find stories and genres they engage with. Here are some popular topics: 

  • Graphic comics – hugely popular with young readers, they are a mix of pictures and words These may be especially helpful for  rangatahi / young people who don’t want to read long word-heavy books. and there are great options for all ages 
  • Chick Lit – written by women authors, these are light and funny and cover subjects such as dating, friendship and teen pregnancy 
  • Dystopian – set in alternative worlds or futuristic societies, they include elements of romance, science fiction and conflict 
  • Biography - a description of someone’s life and work 
  • Steampunk – a mix of modern technology and the Victorian age
  • Sports – books about the history of sports and famous players 

We charge our phones and even our cars, but our brain needs to recharge too. For many, practicing mindfulness can help them do this.  

Mindfulness involves focusing your mind on one thing. For some people, reading is the perfect choice. If you think this could benefit a  rangatahi / young person in your life, you can help create a great environment to practice mindfulness through reading: 

  • help them to block time in their day when they can read without interruption 
  • help them find books, magazines, comics, or audiobooks that they like 
  • help them to stick with it by showing interest in what they read. You might ask them questions or read the same thing and talk about it 
  • play a game together, cook together, visit a museum or an art gallery – get involved 
  • Remember reading can look different for different people. A rangatahi / young person might prefer to put headphones on and listen to an audiobook. This is just as valuable as reading a printed book or an ebook 

Resources 

Local libraries are not only a place to borrow books from. You can also find magazines, games, music albums, audiobooks and e-books!  

Find the nearest library near you here: Welcome to Public Libraries of New Zealand(external link) 

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