Don't get hung up on the rung

In February 2025, Te Awhi Rito New Zealand Reading Ambassador Alan Dingley published a blog post titled Don’t get hung up on the rung, available here. Excerpts from the blog post follow:

Offer reading as an exciting adventure

Reading is a fundamental skill that opens doors to knowledge, imagination and lifelong learning. For children, the journey into the world of books is best offered and experienced as an exciting adventure, a pick-a-path amble, a rocket ship they are at the controls of … not a race.

If children feel pressured to progress quickly through reading levels or to choose ‘more advanced’ books, their enjoyment of reading can decline.

When children read what they enjoy, they are more likely to develop a positive attitude towards reading. Whether it’s comic books, fantasy novels or information about their favourite animals, the key is to help them find books they enjoy and that they are engaged, interested, and exercising and growing that reading muscle. Research shows that children who can choose their reading material are more enthusiastic and motivated readers. ...

Imagine reading as a ladder. Each rung represents a different level of reading complexity, comprehension and enjoyment. As with a physical ladder, it’s important for children to climb at their own pace. Some may be eager to move up quickly. Others may prefer to spend more time on a particular rung. ...

Widen the rung

It's important that children feel they can return to their favourite authors and books, which are sometimes a safety net, comforting and enjoyable. Instead of moving them up a rung, try widening the rung with similar yet slightly more complex texts perhaps. Give them other choices that allow them to skip along with that crutch.

Every child develops at their own pace, both cognitively and emotionally. Allowing children to progress naturally helps build their confidence to know what’s best for them and ensures they understand and enjoy what they read. ...

Support children’s reading choices

Parents and educators play a crucial role in supporting children’s reading journeys. ...

A culture that supports and inspires reading for pleasure celebrates individual progress, which may simply look like a child having the power to select their own book. In a class or home, it might include reading together, discussing books and providing a wide range of reading materials.

By showing interest in what children are reading, helping them find what they enjoy, valuing their choices and allowing them to progress at their own pace, we can help them develop that genuine love for reading.

Let children lead their reading journey. Let them be on that rung, make it as wide as it needs to be so children feel safe enough to reach up for the next rung.

Let’s celebrate the diverse, weird, wacky reading preferences of children and encourage them to explore the world of books without pressure.

Remember, reading is like a ladder, give them time … and they’ll climb.