I have a confession to make…

I was never a strong reader.

I enjoyed reading and I was ‘good at it’ (whatever that means), but I struggled to find books I enjoyed and often gave up on recommended reading.

My older brother, however, was a voracious reader. So was my best friend. They devoured books like chocolate cake and, although I liked the idea of getting lost in a novel, the disappointment at failing to be meant that I dubbed myself a ‘bad reader.’

I managed to discover my love of books later in my teens, after breaking a few rules and finding my own way into it.

While the benefits of reading are widely known, it’s never been harder to encourage children to read.

One of the most common traps in 11+ verbal reasoning is surprisingly simple.

Most children understand the basic idea of synonyms:

• big = large

• quick = fast

• silent = quiet

But verbal reasoning questions are designed to test precision of thinking, not just general understanding. And that’s where associated words start causing trouble.

Flashcards can be useful.

They’re good for introducing new words in a manageable way. They’re good for testing whether a child recognises a definition.

But here’s the issue.

The real learning doesn’t happen at either of those points.

It happens in between.

Vocabulary isn’t just about sounding clever in an exam.

It shapes how we experience the world.

The words we choose don’t simply describe what’s happening around us. They influence how we interpret it. This idea is known as linguistic framing.

And it has far-reaching effects…

When it comes to verbal reasoning, there’s one mistake we see again and again.

Children understand what a synonym is. Ask them and they’ll often tell you correctly: two words with the same meaning.

But in the pressure of a reasoning task, something subtle happens. They stop looking for meaning and start looking for connection.

And that’s where they fall into the trap of associated words.

One of the questions I get asked most often by parents is along the lines of, “My child only wants to read Diary of a Wimpy Kid (or Dogman/Dork Diaries/Tom Gates). How do I help them read something more challenging?”

This is a really common concern and it comes from such a good place: wanting your child to stretch their vocabulary, deepen their comprehension and transfer these skills into their writing. But here’s the thing: those seemingly ‘easy’ books absolutely do have a place on your child’s bookshelf (and it’s often a more important place than you might think).

Finding it difficult to encourage your child to read? You’re not alone and it’s certainly not a reflection of your efforts. Reading habits are deeply personal. Developing them takes time, flexibility and a little creativity. Here are some practical ways to make the process easier, more enjoyable and far less of a struggle…

We all want to help our children grow into confident, expressive communicators. But when it comes to vocabulary-building, it’s easy to fall into old traps and tired techniques. Let’s bust a few myths…