I have been asked before why I have been a reading specialist instead of a classroom teacher for so many years. For starters, I am a self-proclaimed bibliophile and I love reading, collecting books, and understanding how/why authors create books in the manner they do. I also believe everything, including all areas of content, can be found and best explored through literature. In addition, literacy is truly the key to life. I believe there is no greater legacy I can leave nor a greater gift I can give to society than to teach someone how to read. Now that I hold a full-time teaching position in the classroom, I really enjoy having such a strong literacy background. It better enables me to integrate literacy into all other content areas.
I truly believe we can all make a difference. Not only myself and like-minded educators, but you as parents as well. So my challenge is for us all to begin the journey today to wipe out illiteracy. It can be 100% eradicated if we all work together. Parents, please read daily with your kids. Whether you are using digital devices or simply enjoying a book at bedtime, you are paving their future with success.
TIPS FOR HELPING YOUR CHILD BECOME A BETTER READER~
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Read often with your child. Anywhere, anytime. (ex. menus in restaurants are a great way of reading meaningful texts)
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Discuss the text as you read; children need to understand what they are reading and discussions can help them with comprehension
- Read predictable texts ~ poetry and rhyming books are wonderful for beginning readers
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Continue to read to your child even after he or she learns to read;children need repeated exposure to fluent readers in order to further enhance their reading ability
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Allow them to select books that are of interest to them
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Encourage them to re-read if they cannot make sense of what they have read
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Ask them questions as they read to check for comprehension
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Talk to them about the characters
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Allow them to make connections to other books, their own lives, or anything else the book reminds them of ~ (hint: keep connections brief...do not stray too far from the story)
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Encourage reading and model your own enjoyment of reading to your children; let them see you reading
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Promote the love of reading in your child, not just the act of reading
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Encourage them to write (anything at all..thank-you notes, grocery lists, etc.) ~ Reading improves writing and writing improves reading
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Have fun and celebrate the success of your child
