When it comes to young learners, most educators and parents opt for fictional storybooks or fun activities to engage them. Although picture books and fictional novels are great for sparking creativity and imagination, non-fiction books introduce them to essential life skills. In fact, research shows that many young learners prefer non-fiction over fictional books.
Non-fiction books help children learn about the exciting things around them and make sense of real-world topics. They become more aware and confident and develop skills that help them throughout their life. Keep reading to learn more benefits.
Satiate their Curiosity
Young learners are highly curious about everything in life, and they have a lot of questions. While you may answer most of their questions to increase their knowledge, offering non-fiction books can truly satiate their curiosity.
Parents often answer their kids' questions by telling them a made-up story because they don't know the right answer. For example, if a kid asks you why trees are green, give them a book that discusses plants and trees rather than making up a story. When they read books, they not only get accurate information to their questions but want to learn more.
Make Real-World Connections
There's no doubt that kids love watching and reading fiction books about all things magic, but it's important to introduce them to real-world events and history books at an early age. Non-fiction books allow children to use their personal experiences and knowledge to make real-world connections. They form empathy for others around them and appreciate their differences.
Most times, kids say things without knowing that they can hurt others. When they read non-fiction books, they learn many new things that influence their everyday experiences. Besides that, it also helps them get better at something. For example, plenty of books teach the lessons of friendship or explain how to take care of pets, etc.; all this enhances their connections with others.
Enhance Critical Thinking
Reading is one of the most effective ways of developing critical thinking skills, and non-fiction books offer many opportunities to encourage thinking in new ways.
When learners are exposed to non-fiction books at an early stage, they think analytically to understand the information and ask more questions, increasing their knowledge and improving cognition. Some books encourage them to solve problems and foster curiosity and open-mindedness. With critical thinking skills, young learners can make better decisions in their life.
Vocabulary
What better way to enhance kids' vocabulary than offering them some good books? Most non-fiction books are informative and contain unfamiliar words and phrases. Reading these books will encourage children to explore their meanings, increasing their word knowledge and vocabulary.
These books simplify understanding new and difficult terms because there are contextual references that help kids practice sharing their ideas, feelings, and thoughts. The more they read these books, the better they will get at expressing themselves.
Communication Skills
When young learners develop a good vocabulary, they become good at communicating too. Good communication skills help them throughout their lives; they engage in meaningful conversations, convey their feelings, and enhance their learning. Overall, it boosts their confidence and social skills, forming good connections with others. Instead of waiting for them to grow up and work on their social skills, teaching them from a young age is best.
Prepares them for Future Learning
Reading different kinds of non-fiction texts prepares young learners for the rigorous writing and learning tasks they'll get in middle/high school or college. They learn the basics of any text, for example, headings, subheadings, charts, etc., to comprehend the reading material. Eventually, when they perform those tasks in class, they will feel less overwhelmed and more confident.
As they grow old, you can teach them different kinds of texts such as memos, manuals, policies, documents, etc. This will give them a head start for their professional future.
Encourage Learning in a Fun Way
Not all kids are interested in reading traditional books and mostly gravitate toward fictional novels and story books. However, many non-fiction books encourage learning by incorporating many fun elements to them. These books use the same story-telling style and have attractive fonts, images, and colors to pique young learners' interest. This way, kids can easily read non-fiction and learn meaningful lessons without feeling bored.
Language Skills
When learners get the opportunity to explore books and hear adults share different stories either in real life or on TV, they begin to understand a new language. Learning new languages helps them in school and college, even after that. Non-fiction books introduce new languages with images and other visual elements that help children to understand new words and look for their meaning.
Increased Comprehension Skills
Introducing young learners to complex text at an early age can help them boost their comprehension skills. Most kids' books follow a similar pattern of illustrations with texts, and this repetitive format allows learners to predict the book's flow offering a fun experience. However, it's important to challenge them with complex text in non-fiction books to increase their comprehension and analytical skills.
Non-fiction books come in a variety of formats; for example, most of them have tables of contents, headers, glossaries, etc. They will use these features in school and college, so why not introduce them early? You can guide them on how to use a table of contents to choose a section to read, look for complex words in the glossary, etc. This will positively affect their learning and knowledge.
Information-Gathering Skills
Reading non-fiction books will improve learners' information-gathering skills. These books spark their curiosity, and they are encouraged to research deeper to find answers. These valuable investigating and researching skills are crucial for their development and will help immensely in the future.
Understanding the World
Non-fiction books open a portal to the real world and empower self-confidence in young learners. When they know the facts, they are less likely to fall for myths or inaccurate concepts that can affect their quality of life. In the future, they become a better judge of things and can distinguish wrong from right.
Entice a Non-Reader
Most kids don't read because they don't find storybooks fascinating. Introducing them to non-fiction books with interesting facts and ideas will tempt a non-reader to give reading another try. They would be curious to learn more about things and eventually develop reading habits.
Perform Everyday Tasks Easily
When learners read non-fiction, they are reading for information and meaningful content. Allowing them to practice facts, instructions, statistics, diagrams, charts, etc., facilitates their daily lives. For example, they can read bus instructions, product manuals, recipes, or other essential information to perform various tasks.
Improved Writing Skills
Writing is an important part of every learner's life, and they are asked to write more complex things in the future, such as essays, thesis, dissertations, research papers, etc. According to many colleges, students have no trouble solving complex math problems, but they can't write a well-researched, non-fiction piece.
Tips to Help Young Learners Read Non-Fiction
Focus on Things That Interest Them
Young learners are curious about the things they see around them; make sure you stick to them to spark interest. These things include animals, weather, plants, food, etc.
Offer Enough Guidance
If your kid is just starting to read, guide them through all the reading material. Choose books with illustrations and photos and gradually shift them toward textual books.
Let them Choose Their Books
Once they have successfully developed reading habits, let them choose their own books. Give them enough freedom to finish it at their own pace. If you force them to read more or stop them from reading, it can negatively affect their experience.
Discuss What They Learned
Non-fiction books allow learners to form opinions and learn new facts. Most times, kids are excited to share their experiences, so make sure you listen to them. You can also ask how a book helped them and what they would like to read next. This will encourage them to read more.
Talk About Sensitive and Controversial Topics
When reading non-fiction books, learners may encounter sensitive topics and have many questions. Rather than dismissing their questions or changing their subjects, answer their questions truthfully in a way that's easier for them to understand. These situations offer a great opportunity for parents to introduce their children to various facets of life.
Introduce Them to New Reading Material
Instead of sticking to books, offer different non-fictional reading material such as newspapers, magazines, atlases, etc. This will increase their cognition and keep them interested.
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