Ask your child questions about the story you’re reading to ensure comprehension.
Book family time to read with your children every day.
Create a special reading place in your home, with your child’s favorite books within reach.
Donate funds to a literacy cause.
Encourage children to read words on TV, street signs, mugs and T-shirts.
Find new stories to read with your children every week. Vary their length and subject matter.
Give your time to read aloud to a child.
Have a child read a book to you.
International Literacy Day is held on September 8 every year. Celebrate the day by picking up a book and reading to a child.
January 27 is Family Literacy Day in Canada and November 1 in the United States. Find out how to create an event in your corner of the world.
Keep teens reading. Give them books, newspaper articles and magazines about things that interest them – music, movies, TV and computers.
Let children count out the change when making a purchase. Reinforce the importance of math in everyday life!
Make every day a learning day. Ask your children to make a shopping list, read recipes together or help them make a calendar of their weekly activities.
Newborns benefit from reading too!
Organize a children’s book club with friends in your neighborhood.
Pick one night a week to make a regular visit to the library.
Quiet, cozy reading spaces are good places for your child to read independently.
Remember that children learn by example – if you recognize the importance of reading, your children will too!
Start early! It’s never too early to read to your children.
Treat a child to a story a day.
Use reading time to create a special bond with a child.
Volunteer your time. Family literacy groups in your community could use your help with tutoring adults, reading to children and helping out with administrative tasks.
Write a letter.
X-ercise your mind! Reading ability is like a muscle, if you don’t exercise it often, you will not maintain the same level of reading ability as you get older. So – “use it or lose it”!
You are the key to improving a child’s reading ability by placing a high priority on reading in your home.
Zap off the TV - pick up a book instead!
Citation
Adapted and excerpted with permission from Brabant Newspapers
Reprints
You are welcome to print copies for non-commercial use, or a limited number for educational purposes, as long as credit is given to Reading Rockets and the author(s). For commercial use, please contact the author or publisher listed.