Meet your child’s first teacher: YOU!
As a
parent, you want the best for your young child. You carefully buckle him
into his car seat, insist she wear a helmet while riding her bike, prepare
healthy
meals for your family and make sure they get plenty of sleep each night.
Your young child needs something else that’s as basic as food and water, and
that’s your time. Invest just 20 minutes a day into reading with your young
child, and you’re nurturing another basic need: literacy.
Parents!
Be sure to visit the library this summer with your children. Sign them up for the summer reading at the library, and watch their love for books blossom! It’s a fun, free way to read with your kids this summer, and a great way to be sure you get in 20 minutes of family reading time each day.
Startling Statistics
The ability to read starts long before a child enters the classroom. It starts as early as birth, when a parent or caregiver takes the time to share a book with a child. And it starts by getting on board the Reading Railroad, by reading together 20 minutes every day. Did you know that reading with a child for just 20 minutes each day has powerful, life-changing benefits? Research shows that reading with a child for 20 minutes daily is a big part of the solution to some staggering problems:
of
learning, and the cost of learning, for all students.
Reading Tips for Parents
Leave out a
familiar word in a sentence and let your child fill in the blank. For
example, “Sam was bouncing his _______.”
Ask
your child questions about the story you’re reading: What do you think
will happen next? What would you do if you were this character? How do
you think the story will end?
Answer your child’s questions, even if they
interrupt the story. If she wants to stop reading or skip a few pages,
that’s OK, too. Enjoying reading is more important than finishing the
book.
Re-enact favorite stories. Choose a book your child
loves and ask which character he’d like to play. Have family members
take on supporting roles.
Write your own book. Have your child dictate a
story to you. Then write one or two sentences per page, leaving room for
your child’s illustrations. Punch holes in the pages and tie them
together with yarn or ribbons.
Sign up for a library card. Your child will
enjoy
having his own card and the sense of responsibility that comes with it.
Choose a special place for reading. Pick a quiet,
cozy spot away from the TV and radio. Stock it with plenty of books,
magazines and newspapers.
Find funny places to read. For example, in a tent
or under a tree. Have a family contest to determine “The Most Unusual
Place I Ever Read.”
Plan a “reading
dinner.” Announce the meal before hand. That night, let everyone bring a
book to the table. Talk about each family member’s choice and read
excerpts aloud.
Tell stories. Gather the family for a night of
storytelling. You can tell true stories or made up tales. This will
teach your child about how stories – and books – are created.
Read aloud often. While shopping, read “For sale” posters. You might say, “Great! All shirts are on sale today.” This helps your child associate written words with their meaning.
© 1997, The Parent Institute
Involve your child in the story. Have him turn the
pages. Or, read one line and have him read the next.
Take your time and don’t rush the story. Your child
can tell if you’re in a hurry. Reading slowly will help you read
clearly.
Change your voice to show the characters’ feeling –
joy, sadness, fear. These variations can make the story more exciting
for both of you!
Try difference types of reading materials, such as comic strips and poetry. Remember that you are helping your child learn to enjoy reading.
© 2005, Resources for Educators, a division of Aspen Publishers, Inc.
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