EasyK.com Free Reports

Helping Your Child Learn To Read

with activities for children

from infancy through age 10

By Bernice Cullinan and Brod Bagert

Foreword

"Why?"

This is the question we parents are always trying to

answer. It's good that children ask questions: that's the best

way to learn. All children have two wonderful resources for

learning--imagination and curiosity. As a parent, you can

awaken your children to the joy of learning by encouraging

their imagination and curiosity.

Helping Your Child Learn to Read is one in a series of

books on different education topics intended to help you make

the most of your child's natural curiosity. Teaching and

learning are not mysteries that can only happen in school. They

also happen when parents and children do simple things

together.

For instance, you and your child can: sort the socks on

laundry day-sorting is a major function in math and science;

cook a meal together-cooking involves not only math and science

but good health as well; tell and read each other

stories--storytelling is the basis for reading and writing (and

a story about the past is also history); or play a game of

hopscotch together playing physical games will help your child

learn to count and start on a road to lifelong fitness.

By doing things together, you will show that learning is

fun and important. You will be encouraging your child to study,

learn, and stay in school.

All of the books in this series tie in with the National

Education Goals set by the President and the Governors, The

goals state that, by the year 2000: every child will start

school ready to learn; at least 90 percent of all students will

graduate from high school; each American student will leave the

4th, 8th, and 12th grades demonstrating competence in core

subjects; U.S. students will be first in the world in math and

science achievement; every American adult will be literate,

will have the skills necessary to compete in a global economy,

and will be able to exercise the rights and responsibilities of

citizenship; and American schools will be liberated from drugs

and violence so they can focus on learning.

This book is a way for you to help meet these goals. It

will give you a short rundown on facts, but the biggest part of

the book is made up of simple, fun activities for you and your

child to do together. Your child may even beg you to do them.

At the end of the book is a list of resources, so you can

continue the fun.

Let's get started. We invite you to find an activity in

this book and try it.

Contents

Foreword

Introduction

The Basics

Start Young and Stay with It

Advertise the Joy of Reading!

Remember When You Were Very Young

Home Is Where the Heart Is

Important Things To Know

It's Part of Life

One More Time

Talking about Stories

The More the Merrier

How Do I Use This Book?

Read Along

Look for Books

Books and Babies

R and R: Repetition and Rhyme

Poetry in Motion

Read to Me

Family Reading Time

Story Talk

Write and Talk, Too

Tot Talk

What's in a Name?

World of Words

Book Nooks

Family Stories

Now Hear This

P.S. I Love You

Easy as Pie

Write On

TV

Make a Book

Make Your Own Dictionary

Parents and the Schools

A Postscript about Older Children

Resources

Acknowledgments

Introduction

When parents help their children lean to read, they help

open the door to a new world. As a parent, you can begin an

endless learning chain: You read to your children, they develop

a love of stories and poems, they want to read on their own,

they practice reading, and finally they read for their own

information or pleasure. They become readers, and their world

is forever expanded and enriched.

This book focuses primarily on what you can do to help

children up to 10 years of age. During these years you can lay

the foundation for your child to become a lifelong reader. In

the first section, you will find some basic information about

reading to your child. This is followed by suggestions that

guide you to

* read with your child and make this all-important time

together enjoyable;

* stimulate your child's interest in reading and language;

and

* learn about your child's school reading programs and find

ways to help.

While most of the book is for parents of children up to 10

years of age, there is a brief section for parents of older

children on how to help them continue to grow as readers.

Finally, there is a resource section. As you make reading

with your child a routine part of your lives, this section will

help you to find new ideas and a variety of books you both

might like.

You don't need to be an especially skillful reader

yourself to help your child. In fact, some public libraries

offer adult literacy programs that involve reading to children

as a way to improve literacy skills for the whole family. Nor

do you have to devote great amounts of time to reading with

your child. It's the quality of time that counts. Just be

consistent--give as much time as you can each day to help your

child. The activities suggested are designed to fit into busy

schedules.

Helping your child become a reader is an adventure you

will not want to miss. The benefits to your child are

immeasurable, and in the process you will find your world

becoming richer as well.

The Basics

There is no more important activity for preparing your

child to succeed as a reader than reading aloud together. Fill

your story times with a variety of books. Be consistent, be

patient, and watch the magic work.

Start Young and Stay with It

At just a few months of age, an infant can look at

pictures, listen to your voice, and point to objects on

cardboard pages. Guide your child by pointing to the pictures,

and say the names of the various objects. By drawing attention

to pictures and associating the words with both pictures and

the real-world objects, your child will learn the importance of

language.

Children learn to love the sound of language before they

even notice the existence of printed words on a page. Reading

books aloud to children stimulates their imagination and

expands their understanding of the world. It helps them develop

language and listening skills and prepares them to understand

the written word. When the rhythm and melody of language become

a part of a child's life, learning to read will be as natural

as learning to walk and talk.

Even after children lean to read by themselves, it's still

important for you to read aloud together. By reading stories

that are on their interest level, but beyond their reading

level, you can stretch young readers' understanding and

motivate them to improve their skills.

Advertise the Joy of Reading!

Our goal is to motivate children to want to read so they

will practice reading independently and, thus, become fluent

readers. That happens when children enjoy reading. We parents

can do for reading what fast food chains do for hamburgers...

ADVERTISE! And we advertise by reading great stories and poems

to children.

We can help our children find the tools they need to

succeed in life. Having access to information through the

printed word is an absolute necessity. Knowledge is power, and

books are full of it. But reading is more than just a practical

tool. Through books we can enrich our minds; we can also relax

and enjoy some precious leisure moments.

With your help, your children can begin a lifelong

relationship with the printed word, so they grow into adults

who read easily and frequently whether for business, knowledge,

or pleasure.

Remember When You Were Very Young

Between the ages of 4 and 7, many children begin to

recognize words on a page. In our society this may begin with

recognition of a logo for a fast food chain or the brand name

of a favorite cereal. But, before long, that special moment

when a child holds a book and starts to decode the mystery of

written words is likely to occur.

You can help remove part of the mystery without worrying

about a lot of theory. Just read the stories and poems and let

them work their wonders. There is no better way to prepare your

child for that moment when reading starts to "click," even if

it's years down the road.

It will help, however, if we open our eyes to some things

adult readers tend to take for granted. It's easier to be

patient when we remember how much children do not know. Here

are a few concepts we adults know so well we forget sometimes

we ever learned them.

* There's a difference between words and pictures. Point to

the print as you read aloud.

* Words on a page have meaning, and that is what we learn to

read.

* Words go across the page from left to right. Follow with

your finger as you read.

* Words on a page are made up of letters and are separated

by a space.

* Each letter has at least two forms: one for capital

letters and one for small letters.

These are examples of hieroglyphics.

Imagine how you would feel if you were trying to interpret

a book full of such symbols. That's how young readers feel.

But, a little patience (maybe by turning it into a puzzle you

can solve together) is certain to build confidence.

Home Is Where the Heart Is

It's no secret that activities at home are an important

supplement to the classroom, but there's more to it than that.

There are things that parents can give children at home that

the classrooms cannot give.

Children who are read to grow to love books. Over the

years, these children will have good memories to treasure. They

remember stories that made them laugh and stories that made

them cry. They remember sharing these times with someone they

love, and they anticipate with joy the time when they will be

able to read for themselves.

By reading aloud together, by being examples, and by doing

other activities, parents are in a unique position to help

children enjoy reading and see the value of it.

Important Things To Know

It is important to keep fun in your parent-child reading

and to let joy set the tone and pace. Here is a story to keep

in mind.

Shamu is a performing whale, to the delight of many.

However, she sometimes gets distracted and refuses to do her

tricks. When that happens, her trainers stand around in

dripping wetsuits and wait for her stubbornness to pass. They

know that when a 5,000-pound whale decides she doesn't want to

flip her tail on cue, there is very little anyone can do about

it. But whales like to play, and sooner or later Shamu returns

to the game of performing for her audience. Shamu's trainers

know this so they're always patient, they're always confident,

and they always make performing fun.

While helping your child become a reader is certainly

different from training a whale, the same qualities of

patience, confidence, and playfulness in your approach will get

results. If, from time to time, your child gets distracted and

loses interest, take a break. Children love to learn. Give them

a little breathing room, and their interest will always be

renewed.

It's Part of Life

Although the life of a parent is often hectic, you should

try to read with your child at least once a day at a regularly

scheduled time. But don't be discouraged if you skip a day or

don't always keep to your schedule. Just read to your child as

often as you possibly can.

If you have more than one child, try to spend some time

reading alone with each child, especially if they're more than

2 years apart. However, it's also fine to read to children at

different stages and ages at the same time. Most children enjoy

listening to many types of stories. When stories are complex,

children can still get the idea and can be encouraged to ask

questions. When stories are easy or familiar, youngsters enjoy

these "old friends" and may even help in the reading. Taking

the time to read with your children on a regular basis sends an

important message: Reading is worthwhile.

One More Time

You may go through a period when your child favors one

book and wants it read night after night. It is not unusual for

children to favor a particular story, and this can be boring

for parents. Keep in mind, however, that a favorite story may

speak to your child's interests or emotional needs. Be patient.

Continue to expose your children to a wealth of books and

eventually they will be ready for more stories.

Talking about Stories

It's often a good idea to talk about a story you are

reading, but you need not feel compelled to talk about every

story. Good stories will encourage a love for reading, with or

without conversation. And sometimes children need time to think

about stories they have read. A day or so later, don't be

surprised if your child mentions something from a story you've

read together.

The More the Merrier

From time to time, invite other adults or older children

to listen in or join in reading aloud. The message is: Reading

is for everybody.

How Do I Use This Book?

There are two types of activities in this book to help

* make reading with your child enjoyable and

* increase writing, talking, and listening to boost your

child's love of language.

Most of the activities are for children who range in age

from 3 to 10 years, with a few for babies. The symbols next to

the activities can guide you.

Infant up to 2 years

Preschooler (ages 3-5)

Beginning reader (ages 6-7)

Developing reader (ages 8-10)

Enjoyment is essential in the process of helping your

child become a reader. All of the activities are written with

this thought in mind. So, if you and your child don't enjoy one

activity, move on to something else and try it again later.

Read Along

The following is intended to help you become a parent who

is great at reading with your child. You'll find ideas and

activities to enrich this precious time together.

Children become readers when their parents read to them.

It really is as simple as that. And here's the good news: It's

easy to do and it's great fun. With a little practice you will

be making the memories of a lifetime, memories both you and

your child will cherish.

It is best to read to your child early and often. But it's

never too late to begin. Start today. Although the activities

in this section are designed to enhance reading aloud with

preschoolers and beginning readers, a child is never too old to

be read to.

With youngsters, remember that reading is a physical act,

as well as a mental one. It involves hand-eye coordination. So,

when you read, involve your child by

* pointing out objects in the pictures;

* following the words with your finger (so your child

develops a sense that the words go from left to fight on

the page); and

* having your child help turn the pages (to lean that the

pages turn from fight to left).

Look for Books

The main thing is to find books you both love. They will

shape your child's first impression of the world of reading.

What to do

1. Ask friends, neighbors, and teachers to share the names of

their favorite books.

2. Visit your local public library, and as early as possible,

get your child a library card. Ask the librarian for help

in selecting books. (Also see the resources section at the

end of this book.)

3. Look for award-winning books. Each year the American

Library Association selects children's books for the

Caldecott Medal for illustration and the Newbery Medal for

writing.

4. Check the book review sections of newspapers and magazines

for recommended new children's books.

5. As soon as they're old enough, have your children join you

in browsing for books and making selections.

6. If you and your child don't enjoy reading a particular

book, put it aside and pick up another one.

Keep in mind your child's reading level and listening

level are different. When you read easy books, beginning

readers will soon be reading along with you. When you read more

advanced books, you instill a love of stories, and you build

motivation that transforms children into lifelong readers.

Books and Babies

Babies love to listen to the human voice. What better way

than through reading!

What you'll need

Some baby books (books made of cardboard or cloth with flaps to

lift and holes to peek through)

What to do

1. Start out by singing lullabies and folk songs to your

baby. At around 6 months, look for books with brightly

colored, simple pictures and lots of rhythm. (Mother Goose

is perfect.) At around 9 months, include books that

feature pictures and names of familiar objects.

2. As you read, point out objects in the pictures and make

sure your baby sees all the things that are fun to do with

books. (Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt is a classic

touch-and-feel book for babies.)

3. Vary the tone of your voice, sing nursery rhymes, bounce

your knee, make funny faces, do whatever special effects

you can to stimulate your baby's interest.

4. Allow your child to touch and hold cloth and sturdy

cardboard books.

5. When reading to a baby, be brief but read often.

As you read to your baby, your child is forming an

association between books and what is most loved -- your voice

and closeness. Allowing babies to handle books deepens their

attachment even more.

R and R: Repetition and Rhyme

Repetition makes books predictable, and young readers love

knowing what comes next.

What you'll need

Books with repeated phrases*

Short rhyming poems

* A few favorites are: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible.

No Good , Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst; Brown Bear, Brown

Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr.; Horton Hatches

the Egg by Dr. Seuss; and The Little Engine That Could by

Watty Piper. There are many good booklists that highlight

those books with repetitive refrains. (See the resources

section.)

What to do

1. Pick a story with repeated phrases or a poem you and your

child like.

2. For example, read:

Wolf Voice: Little pig, little pig,

Let me come in.

Little Pig: Not by the hair on my

chinny-chin-chin.

Wolf Voice: Then I'll huff and I'll puff,

And I'll blow your house in!

After the wolf has blown down the first pig's house, your

child will soon join in with the refrain.

3. Read slowly, and with a smile or a nod, let your children

know you appreciate their participation.

4. As children grow more familiar with the story, pause and

give them the chance to "fill in the blanks."

5. Encourage your children to pretend to read, especially

books that contain repetition and rhyme. Most children who

enjoy reading will eventually memorize all or parts of a

book and imitate your reading.

When youngsters anticipate what's coming next in a story

or poem, they have a sense of mastery over books. When children

feel power, they have the courage to try. Pretending to read is

an important step in the process of learning to read.

Poetry in Motion

When children act out a good poem, they love its rhyme,

rhythm, and the pictures it paints with a few well-chosen

words. They grow as readers by connecting emotion with the

written word.

What you'll need

Poems that rhyme, tell a story, and are written from a child's

point of view

What to do

1. Read a poem slowly to your child, and bring all your

dramatic talents to the reading. (In other words, ham it

up.)

2. If there is a poem your child is particularly fond of,

suggest acting out a favorite line. Be sure to award such

efforts with delighted enthusiasm.

3. Then suggest acting out a verse, a stanza, or the entire

poem. Ask your child to make a face of the way the

character in the poem is feeling. Remember that facial

expressions bring emotion into the performer's voice.

4. Again, be an enthusiastic audience for your child.

Applause is always nice.

5. If your child is comfortable with the idea, look for a

larger setting with an attentive, appreciative audience.

Perhaps an after-dinner "recital" for family members would

appeal to your child.

6. Mistakes are a fact of life, so ignore them.

Poems are often short with lots of white space on the

page. This makes them manageable for new readers and helps to

build their confidence.

Read to Me

It's important to read to your children, but equally

important to listen to them read to you. Children thrive on

having someone appreciate their developing skills.

What you'll need

Books at your child's reading level

What to do

1. Listen attentively as your child reads.

2. Take turns. You read a paragraph and have your child read

the next one. As your child becomes more at ease with

reading aloud, take turns reading a full page. Keep in

mind that your child may be focusing on how to read, and

your reading helps to keep the story alive.

3. If your children have trouble reading words, you can help

in several ways.

* Tell them to skip over the word, read the rest of the

sentence, and ask what word would make sense in the story.

* Help them use what they know about letters and sounds.

* Supply the correct word.

4. Tell children how proud you are of their efforts and

skills.

Listening to your children read aloud provides

opportunities for you to express appreciation of their new

skills and for them to practice their reading. Most

importantly, it's another way to enjoy reading together.

Family Reading Time

A quiet time for family members to read on their own may

be the only chance a busy parent gets to read the paper.

What you'll need

Your own reading materials

Reading materials for your children

What to do

1. Both you and your child should pick out something to read.

2. Don't be concerned if your beginning readers pick

materials that are easier than their school reading books.

Practice with easy books (and the comics) will improve

their fluency.

3. If you subscribe to a children's magazine, this is a good

time to get it out. There are many good children's

magazines, and youngsters often get a special thrill out

of receiving their own mail.

4. Relax and enjoy while you each read your own selections.

A family reading time shows that you like to read. Because

you value reading, your children will too.

Story Talk

Talking about what you read is another way to help

children develop language and thinking skills. You don't need

to plan the talk, discuss every story, or expect an answer.

What you'll need

Reading materials

What to do

1. Read slowly and pause occasionally to think out loud about

a story. You can speculate: "I wonder what's going to

happen next!" Or ask a question: "Do you know what a

palace is?" Or point out: "Look where the little mouse is

now."

2. Answer your children's questions, and if you think they

don't understand something, stop and ask them. Don't worry

if you break into the flow of a story to make something

clear.

3. Read the name of the book's author and illustrator and

make sure your children understand what they do.

Talking about stories they read helps children develop

their vocabularies, link stories to everyday life, and use what

they know about the world to make sense out of stories.

Write and Talk, Too

While reading with your child is most important, there are

other activities that help to get children ready to read. With

a solid foundation, your child will not only read, but will

read with enthusiasm.

Learning to read is part of learning language. It's like a

little leaguer leaning to hit a baseball. The young hitter must

learn to watch the ball when it is pitched, to step into it,

and to swing the bat to make the hit. It's a single event made

up of three acts. Baseball players learn to do all three at

once.

The same is true of learning language. When we use

language, we speak words out loud, we read words on paper, and

we write. This section has activities that encourage your child

to

* speak

* read

* write

* listen

Begin long before you expect your child actually to read,

and continue long after your child is an independent reader.

Now, turn the page and start enjoying language.

Tot Talk

What's "old hat" to you can be new and exciting to

preschoolers. When you talk about everyday experiences, you

help children connect their world to language and enable them

to go beyond that world to new ideas.

What to do

1. As you get dinner ready, talk to your child about things

that are happening. When your 2- or 3-year-old "helps" by

taking out all the pots and pans, talk about them. Which

one is the biggest? Can you find a lid for that one? What

color is this one?

2. When walking down the street and your toddler stops to

collect leaves, stop and ask questions that require more

than a "yes" or "no" answer. Which leaves are the same?

Which are different? What else grows on trees?

3. Ask "what if" questions. What would happen if we didn't

shovel the snow? What if that butterfly lands on your

nose?

4. Answer your children's endless "why" questions patiently.

When you say, "I don't know, let's look it up," you show

how important books are as resources for answering

questions.

5. After your preschooler tells you a story, ask questions so

you can understand better. That way children learn how to

tell complete stories and know you are interested in what

they have to say.

6. Expose your children to varied experiences--trips to the

library, museum, or zoo; walks in the park; or visits with

friends and relatives. Surround these events with lots of

comments, questions, and answers.

Talking enables children to expand their vocabulary and

understanding of the world. The ability to carry on a

conversation is important for reading development. Remember, it

is better to talk too much than too little with a small child.

What's in a Name?

Use your child's name to develop an interest in the world

of print.

What you'll need

Paper

Pencil, crayon, or marker

What to do

1. Print the letters of your child's name on paper.

2. Say each letter as you write it, "K...A...T...I...E"

3. When you finish, say, "That's your name!"

4. Have your child draw a picture.

5. When finished, say, "I have an idea! Let's put your name

on your picture." As you write the letters, say them out

loud.

6. If you have magnetic letters, spell out your child's name

on the refrigerator door.

7. Print your child's name on a card, and put it on the door

of your child's room or special place.

It's hard to overemphasize the importance of writing and

displaying your child's name.

World of Words

Here are a few ways to create a home rich in words.

What you'll need

Paper

Pencils, crayons, markers

Glue (if you want to make a poster)

Newspapers, magazines

Safety scissors

What to do

1. Hang posters of the alphabet on bedroom walls or make an

alphabet poster with your child.

2. Label the things in your child's pictures. If your child

draws a picture of a house, label it "house" and put it on

the refrigerator.

3. Have your child watch you write when you make shopping or

to-do lists. Say the words out loud and carefully print

each letter.

4. Let your child make lists, too. Help your child form the

letters and spell the words.

5. Look at newspapers and magazines with your child. Find an

interesting picture and show it to your child as you read

the caption out loud.

6. Create a scrapbook. Cut out pictures of people and places

and label them.

By exposing your child to words and letters often, your

child will begin to recognize the shapes of letters. The world

of words will become friendly.

Book Notes

With very little effort, parents can introduce children to

the wide world of books.

What to do

1. Visit the library. Get a library card in your child's name

and one for yourself if you don't have one. Go to the

children's section and spend time reading and selecting

books to take home. Check out books yourself to show your

child everyone can use and enjoy books and the library. Be

sure to introduce your child to the librarian and ask

about special programs the library has for children.

2. Start your own home library. Designate a bookcase or shelf

especially for your child. Encourage your child to arrange

the books by some method--books about animals, holiday

books, favorite books.

3. Keep an eye out for inexpensive books at flea markets,

garage sales, used book stores, and discount tables at

book stores. Many public libraries sell old books once a

year. You will find some real bargains!

4. Make your own books. (See activity on page 46.) Child-made

books become lasting treasures and part of your home

library.

When collecting books is an important family activity,

parent send the message that books are important and fun.

Family Stories

Family stories enrich the relationship between parent and

child.

What to do

1. Tell your child stories about your parents and

grandparents. You might even put these stories in a book

and add old family photographs.

2. Have your child tell you stories about what happened on

special days, such as holidays, birthdays, and family

vacations.

3. Reminisce about when you were little. Describe things that

happened at school involving teachers and subjects you

were studying. Talk about your brothers, sisters, or

friends.

4. Write a trip journal with your child to create a new

family story. Recording the day's special event and

pasting the photograph into the journal ties the family

story to a written record. You can also include everyday

trips like going to the market or the park.

It helps for children to know that stories come from real

people and are about real events. When children listen to

stories, they hear the voice of the storyteller. This helps

them hear the words when they learn to read aloud or read

silently.

Now Hear This

Children are great mimics. When you tell stories, your

child will begin to tell stories, too.

What to do

1. Have your child tell stories like those you have told.

Ask: "And then what happened?" to urge the story along.

2. Listen closely when your child speaks. Be enthusiastic and

responsive.

3. If you don't understand some part of the story, take the

time to get your child to explain. This will help your

child understand the relationship between a speaker and a

listener and an author and a reader.

4. Encourage your child to express himself or herself. This

will help your child develop a wide vocabulary. It can

also help with pronouncing words clearly.

Having a good audience is very helpful for a child to

improve language skills, as well as poise in speaking. Parents

can be the best audience a child will ever have.

P.S. I Love You

Something important happens when children receive and

write letters. They realize that the printed word has a

purpose.

What you'll need

Paper

Pencil, crayon, or marker

What to do

1. Send your child little notes (by putting them in a pocket

or lunch box, for example). When your child shows you the

note, read it out loud with expression. Some children will

read the notes on their own.

2. When your child expresses a feeling or thought that's

related to a person, have your child write a letter. Have

your child dictate the words to you if your child doesn't

write yet.

For example:

Dear Grandma,

I like it when you make ice cream. It's better than the

kind we buy at the store.

Your grandson,

Darryl

P.S. I love you.

3. Ask the people who receive these notes to respond. An oral

response is fine--a written response is even better.

4. Explain the writing process to your child: "We think of

ideas and put them into words; we put the words on paper;

people read the words; and people respond."

Language is speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

Each element supports and enriches the other. Sending letters

will help children become writers, and writing will make them

better readers.

Easy as Pie

Preparing meals is another good way for children to

practice language skills.

What you'll need

Paper

Pencil

Cookbook or recipes

Food supplies

What to do

1. Ask children to help you prepare a grocery list.

2. Take them to the market and have them find items on the

list.

3. Have them help put away the groceries and encourage them

to read the labels, box tops, and packages as they store

them.

4. Have them read the ingredients from a recipe.

5. Prepare a meal together and let them take needed items

from shelves and storage areas.

6. Talk about the steps in preparing a meal--first, second,

and so on.

7. Praise the efforts of your early reader and encourage

other family members to do the same.

The purpose of reading is to get meaning from the page. By

using reading skills to prepare a meal, children see positive

results from reading.

Write On

Writing helps a child become a better reader, and reading

helps a child become a better writer.

What you'll need

Pencils, crayons, or markers

Paper or notebook

Chalkboard

What to do

1. Ask your preschooler to dictate a story to you.

It could include descriptions of your outings and

activities, along with mementos such as fall leaves,

birthday cards, and photographs. Older children can do

these activities on their own.

2. Use a chalkboard or a family message board as an exciting

way to involve children in writing with a purpose.

3. Keep supplies of paper, pencils, markers, and the like

within easy reach.

4. Encourage beginning and developing writers to keep

journals and write stories. Ask questions that will help

children organize the stories, and respond to their

questions about letters and spelling. Suggest they share

the activity with a smaller brother, sister, or friend.

5. Respond to the content of children's writing, and don't be

overly concerned with misspellings. Over time you can help

your child concentrate on learning to spell correctly.

When the children begin to write, they run the risk

criticism, and it takes courage to continue. Our job as parents

is to help children find the courage. This we can do by

expressing our appreciation of their efforts.

TV

Television can be a great tool for education too. The keys

are setting limits, making good choices, taking time to watch

together, discussing what you view, and encouraging follow-up

reading.

What to do

1. Limit your child's television viewing time and make your

rules and reasons clear. Involve your child in choosing

which programs to watch. Read the TV schedule together to

choose.

2. Monitor what your child is watching, and whenever

possible, watch the programs with your child.

3. When you watch shows with your child, discuss what you

have seen so your child can better understand the

programs.

4. Look for programs that will stimulate your child's

interests and encourage reading (such as dramatizations of

children's literature and programs on wildlife, natural

history, and science).

Many experts recommend that children watch no more than 10

hours of television each week. Limiting television viewing

frees up time for reading and writing activities.

It is worth noting that captioned television shows can be

especially helpful with children who are deaf or

hard-of-hearing, studying English as a second language, or

having difficulty learning to read.

Make a Book

Turn your child's writing into a homemade book. The effect

will be powerful. Suddenly books become a lot more human and

understandable.

What you'll need

Construction paper

Yarn or ribbon

Heavy paper or cardboard

Colorful cloth or wrapping paper

Paste

Safety scissors

What to do

1. Paste pages of your child's writings onto pieces of

construction paper.

2. Discuss the order the writings should go in. Should all

the writings about animals go in one section and the

writings about holidays in another? Which writings are the

most important and where should they be placed in the

book?

3. Number the pages.

4. Make a table of contents.

5. Make covers for the book with heavy paper or cardboard.

You might want to paste colorful cloth or wrapping paper

onto the covers.

6. Punch holes in the pages and the covers.

7. Bind the book together by lacing the yarn or ribbon

through the holes. Make knots in the loose ends or tie

them in a bow, so that the yarn or ribbon won't slip out.

8. Add pages to this book as more writings are completed or

start a new book.

Making a book is a multi-step process from planning to

writing to producing a final product.

Make Your Own Dictionary

A letter dictionary is a long-term project.

What you'll need

Notebook

Pencil, pen, crayons, or markers

Old magazines

Safety scissors

Paste

What to do

1. Help your child head every page or two with a letter of

the alphabet.

2. Cut out pictures of things from old magazines that start

with the letters and paste them on the appropriate pages.

3. Help your child label the pictures.

If it stops being fun, you can come back to the project at

a later time. When you come back to it, don't worry if your

child forgets something. That's the nature of young children.

Parents and the Schools

Success in school depends, in large part, on your child's

ability to read, and your role in helping your child become a

reader extends into the classroom. The kind of support you

provide will, of course, change as your child grows older.

Your involvement and monitoring your child's progress in school

can help your child become a better reader.

Involvement in school programs can take many forms, from

attending PTA meetings to volunteering in school activities.

Through action, not just words, you demonstrate to your child

that school is important.

In monitoring your child's progress in learning to read,

you need to look at both the programs offered at school and

your child's performance. Below is a checklist for different

levels of schooling. There is much more information available

to help you evaluate school reading programs. (See the

Resources section, "For Parents.")

Kindergarten

* Do teachers frequently read aloud?

* Are favorite stories read over and over again and is

"pretend" reading encouraged?

* Are there story discussions with opportunities for

children to talk and listen?

* Are there good materials available for children to read

and have read to them?

* Do teachers discuss with children the different purposes

of reading?

* Do children have opportunities to write? Do they compose

messages to other people?

Beginning Reading Programs

When children start school, they receive their first

formal instruction in reading. At this stage, they learn to

identify words--by translating groups of letters into spoken

words.

* Does the program include teaching the relationship between

letters and sounds (phonics)?

* Are children reading stories that encourage them to

practice what they are learning?

* Are children's reading materials interesting? Do they

accommodate a child's limited reading vocabulary and the

need to practice word identification with exciting

stories?

* Are teachers still reading stories aloud to children and

including good children's literature?

Developmental Reading Programs

* Do reading and writing activities occur in every classroom

and in every subject studied? As you walk through the

school, do you see displays of children's writing on

bulletin boards?

* Are teachers providing direct instruction--teaching

strategies that help students become better readers?

* Are there plenty of opportunities for children to practice

reading? (For third and fourth graders, this should

include at least two hours a week of independent reading

in school.)

* Are there well-stocked school or classroom libraries?

(Schools may enrich their collections by borrowing from a

local public library.)

* Are children encouraged to write meaningfully about what

they read? It is not enough to fill in the blanks on

worksheets; the point is to have children think about what

they read, relate it to what they already know, and

communicate these thoughts to others.

Evaluating Your Child's Progress

It is important to monitor your child's progress through

reports from the teacher. Also, it is important to attend

school open houses or similar events where teachers are

available to explain the program and discuss children's

progress with their parents.

If you think your child should be doing better, consider

meeting privately with the teacher. In most cases, the teacher

and principal will be able to shed light on your child's

progress and what you might do to help. Your school system may

have access to special resources such as a reading specialist

and guidance counselor or to materials to address your child's

needs.

You may want additional help for your child. A good

starting point is the nearest college or university. Most have

reading tutorial services that are available on a sliding-fee

scale. If not, there may be faculty or graduate students

interested in tutoring. Then monitor your child's progress the

same way you would his progress in school. If you do not see a

difference in performance in 6 to 8 weeks, discuss the program

with your child's tutor. Can the tutor explain the goals of the

program and document your child's progress? If not, you may

wish to consider another course of action.

Some children struggle with reading problems where the

cause is readily identifiable. Some of the more widely

recognized causes of reading problems are vision and hearing

impairments and poor speech and language development.

But there are other schoolchildren who have problems reading

because of a learning disability. Whatever the cause or nature

of a child's reading problem, the earlier the difficulty is

discovered and additional help provided, the better the child's

chances are of becoming a successful reader. (See the Resources

section, "For Parents.")

The good news is that no matter how long it takes, with

few exceptions, children can learn to read. One of the most

important roles you can play in relation to your children's

schoolwork is that of cheerleader. Applaud their efforts and

their successes. Help them have the courage to keep trying.

A Postscript about Older Children

You can't put a teenager on your lap and read stories

every night. But you can still help older children become

enthusiastic and fluent readers by adapting many of the same

principles that work with the little ones. It is especially

important to continue the following efforts:

* Encourage reading for the fun of it and as a free-time

activity.

* Create an environment rich with books.

* Talk and listen to your children. Language is like a

four-legged stool: Speaking, listening, reading, and

writing are its parts, and each supports the other.

* Read with your children every chance you get--even if it's

just part of a newspaper article at the breakfast table.

* Encourage children to write by responding to the ideas

they try to communicate in writing.

* Set the example--put a book in your hands and be sure your

children know you read for enjoyment and to get needed

information.

* Monitor your children's schoolwork and applaud their

efforts.

Resources

For Children

What follows is a sampling from the wealth of children's

literature available.

Listed by age groups are three kinds of children's

materials.

* Books that relate to real-life events

* Poems

* Magazines

There are many other excellent lists of children's books.

For more information, see the next section, "Resources for

Parents."

Children's Books and Real-Life Events

One sure way to get children to love to read is to make

connections between books and what happens in their lives. If

the book relates to what happened in real life and children see

themselves in it, both the story and the event take on greater

meaning. There are numerous books that deal with almost any

event in a child's life. We present here a few illustrative

topics to show the relation between books and life. Topics

chosen include celebrating family occasions; the very personal

experience of a loose tooth; a new baby; and knowing more about

explorations in outer space.

Family Celebrations Ages 4 to 8

Clifton, Lucille. Some of the Days of Everette Anderson; Ness,

Evaline, illustrator. Henry Holt & Company.

Greenfield, Eloise. Honey, I Love and Other Love Poems; Dillon,

Diane and Leo, illustrators. HarperCollins Children's Books.

Ringgold, Faith. Tar Beach. Crown.

Say, Allen. Tree of Cranes. Houghton Mifflin.

Zolotow, Charlotte. Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present; Sendak,

Maurice, illustrator. HarperCollins Children's Books.

______. Over and Over; Williams, Garth, illustrator.

HarperCollins Children's Books.

Ages 7 to 12

Adoff, Arnold. In for Winter, Out for Spring; Pinkney, Jerry,

illustrator. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Baylor, Byrd. I'm in Charge of Celebrations; Parnall, Peter,

illustrator. Macmillan Children's Book Group/Scribners.

Goble, Paul. Her Seven Brothers. Bradbury Press.

Esbensen, Barbara J. The Star Maiden: An Ojibway Tale; Davie,

Helen K., illustrator. Little, Brown and Company.

Loose Tooth

Ages 5 to 8

Bate, Lucy. Little Rabbit's Loose Tooth; De Groat, Diane,

illustrator. Crown.

Birdseye, Tom. Air Mail to the Moon. Gammell, Stephen,

illustrator. Holiday.

Brown, Marc. Arthur's Tooth. Little, Brown and Company/Joy

Street.

Carson, Jo. Pulling My Leg; Downing, Julie, illustrator.

Orchard.

Cole, Joanna. Missing Tooth; Hafner, Marilyn, illustrator.

Random House.

McCloskey, Robert. One Morning in Maine. Viking Press.

McPhail, David. The Bear's Toothache. Little, Brown and

Company/Joy Street.

New Baby

Ages 5 to 8

Alexander, Martha. Nobody Asked Me If I Wanted a Baby Sister.

Dial Press.

Byars, Betsy. Go and Hush the Baby; McCully, Emily,

illustrator. Puffin/Penguin.

Clifton, Lucille. Everette Anderson's Nine Month Long;

Grifalconi, Ann, illustrator. Henry Holt & Company.

Henkes, Kevin. Julius, the Baby of the World. Greenwillow

Books.

Williams, Vera B. More, More, More, Said the Baby. Greenwidow

Books.

Ages 7 to 12

Ellis, Sarah. A Family Project. Macmillan Children's

Books/McElderry.

Galbraith, Kathryn O. Roommates and Rachel; Graham, Mark,

illustrator. Macmillan Children's Books/McElderry.

Greenwald, Sheila. Alvin Webster's Surefire Plan for Success

(and How It Failed). Little, Brown and Company/Joy Street.

Space Exploration

Ages 4 to 8

Barton, Byron. I Want to Be an Astronaut. Crowell.

Branley, Franklyn M. The Sky Is Full of Stars; Bond, Felicia,

illustrator. Crowell.

Marshall, Edward. Space Case; Marshall, James, illustrator.

Dial Press.

Minarik, Else H. Little Bear; Sendak, Maurice, illustrator.

HarperCollins Children's Books.

Murphy, Jill. What Next, Baby Bear! Dial Press.

Wildsmith, Brian. Professor Noah's Spaceship. Oxford.

Ages 8 to 12

Apfel, Necia H. Nebulae: The Birth and Death of Stars. Lothrop.

Blumberg, Rhoda. The First Travel Guide to the Moon: What to

Pack, How to Go, and What to See When You Get There. Four

Winds.

Branley, Franklyn M. The Planets in Our Solar System; Madden,

Don, illustrator and photographer. Crowell.

______. Rockets and Satellites, 2nd revised edition; Maestro,

Giulio, illustrator. HarperCollins Children's Books.

Cole, Joanna. The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System;

Degen, Bruce, illustrator. Scholastic, Inc.

Embury, Barbara, and Crouch, Tom D. The Dream Is Alive: A

Flight of Discovery Aboard the Space Shuttle; with photographs

from Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. HarperCollins Children's

Books.

Fox, Mary Virginia. Women Astronauts: Aboard the Space Shuttle;

revised edition. Messner.

Lauber, Patricia. Seeing Earth from Space. Orchard.

Livingston, Myra Cohn. Space Songs; Fisher, Leonard Everett,

illustrator. Holiday House.

Ride, Sally, and Okie, Susan. To Space and Back. Lothrop.

Simon, Seymour. Look to the Night Sky: An Introduction to Star

Watching; illustrations and star charts. Puffin/Penguin.

Celebrate the Joy of Poetry

Ages 5 to 12

Bagert, Brod. Let Me Be... the Boss, Poems for Kids to Perform;

Smith, G.L., illustrator. Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press.

Bryan, Ashley, ed. All Night, All Day: A Child's First Book of

African-American Spirituals; Thomas, David Manning, musical

arranger. Atheneum.

Ciardi, John. The Monster Den: or Look What Happened at My

House--and To It; Gorey, Edward, illustrator. Wordsong/Boyds

Mills Press.

______. You Know Who; Gorey, Edward, illustrator.

Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press.

de Regniers, Beatrice S., ed. Sing a Song of Popcorn: Every

Child's Book of Poems; illustrated by nine Caldecott Medal

artists. Scholastic, Inc.

Esbensen, Barbara J. Cold Stars and Fireflies: Poems of the

Four Seasons; Bonners, Susan, illustrator. HarperCollins

Children's Books.

Giovanni, Nikki. Spin a Soft Black Song, Martins, George,

illustrator. Hill & Wang/Farrat, Straus and Giroux.

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Happy Birthday; Knight, Hilary,

illustrator. Simon & Schuster.

______. On the Farm; Molk, Laurel, illustrator. Little, Brown

and Company.

Lewis, Claudia. Up in the Mountains: And Other Poems of Long

Ago; Fontaine, Joel, illustrator. HarperCollins Children's

Books.

Lewis, J. Patrick. Earth Verses and Water Rhymes; Sabuda,

Robert, illustrator. Atheneum.

Prelutsky, Jack. For Laughing Out Loud: Poems to Tickle Your

Funnybone; Priceman, Marjorie, illustrator. Alfred A. Knopf.

______, ed. The Random House Book of Poetry for Children;

Lobel, Arnold, illustrator. Random House.

Sky-Peck, Kathryn, ed. Who Has Seen the Wind? An Illustrated

Collection of Poetry for Young People; with photographs of

paintings from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Rizzoli

International Publications.

Stevenson, Robert Louis. A Child's Garden of Verses; Le Mair,

Henriette Willebeek, illustrator. Philomel.

Children's Magazines

General Interest for Ages 2 to 12

Cricket, the Magazine for Children, P.O. Box 52961, Boulder, CO

80322-2961.

Highlights for Children, 2300 West Fifth Avenue, Columbus, OH

43272-0002.

Story Magazines for Ages 4 to 9

Chickadee, Young Naturalist Foundation, P.O. Box 11314, Des

Moines, IA 50340.

Ladybug, Cricket Country Lane, Box 50284, Boulder, CO

80321-0284.

Sesame Street Magazine, Children's Television Workshop, One

Lincoln Plaza, New York, NY 10023.

Science, Nature, Sports, Math & History for Ages 7 to 12

Cobblestone: The History Magazine for Young People, Cobblestone

Publishing, Inc., 30 Grove Street, Peterborough, NH 03458.

DynaMath, Scholastic, Inc., 730 Broadway, New York, NY 10003.

National Geographic World, National Geographic Society, 17th

and M Streets NW, Washington, DC 20036.

Odyssey, Kalmbach Publishing Co., P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha WI

53187.

Ranger Rick, National Wildlife Federation, 1400 16th Street NW,

Washington, DC 20036-2266.

Sports Illustrated for Kids, Time Inc., Time & Life Building,

Rockefeller Center, New York, NY 10020-1393.

3-2-1 Contact, Children's Television Workshop, One Lincoln

Plaza, New York, NY 10023.

U*S*Kids, Field Publications, 245 Long Hill Road, Middletown,

CT 06457.

Zillions, Consumers Union, 101 Truman Avenue, Yonkers, NY

10703-1057.

Resources

For Parents

The resources below are primarily for parents, but you can

use them to guide you to resources for your children as well.

Many of the books include excellent children's book lists; two

are outstanding anthologies(*). In addition, don't overlook

your public library as a source of book lists for children.

Many publish their own lists of books that may relate to

special programs for children or community needs and events.

Butler, Dorothy. Babies Need Books, 2nd edition. Atheneum.

Cullinan, Bernice. Read to Me: Raising Kids Who Love to Read.

Scholastic, Inc.

*Fadiman, Clifton, ed. The World Treasury of Children's

Literature. Little, Brown and Company.

Graves, Ruth, ed. The RIF** Guide to Encouraging Young Readers.

Doubleday. (** Reading Is Fundamental, Inc.)

Hearne, Betsy. Choosing Books for Children. Delacorte Press.

Kimmel, Margaret Mary. For Reading Out Loud: A Guide to Sharing

Books with Children. Delacorte Press.

Larrick, Nancy. A Parent's Guide to Children's Reading, 5th

edition. Bantam Books.

*Russell, William F., ed. Classics to Read Aloud to Your

Children, 1984 edition. Crown.

Sader, Marion. Reference Books for Young Readers: Authoritative

Evaluations of Encyclopedias, Atlases, and Dictionaries.

Bowker.

Trelease, Jim. The New Read-Aloud Handbook. Penguin Handbooks.

In Addition

The Library of Congress, Children's Literature Center

prepares an annual list of more than 100 of the best children's

books recently published for preschool through junior high

school age. To order Books for Children, #8 (1992), send $1 to

the Consumer Information Center, Department 101Z, Pueblo, CO

81009.

The organizations below also publish lists of children's

books and other helpful brochures that are available free or at

a nominal cost, as well as books for parents on helping

children learn to read. Request titles and ordering information

directly from

American Library Association

Publications Order Department

50 East Huron Street

Chicago, IL 60611

International Reading Association

800 Barksdale Road

P.O. Box 8139

Newark, DE 19714-8139

Reading Is Fundamental, Inc.

Publications Department

Smithsonian Institution

600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Suite 500

Washington, DC 20024-2520

Federal Sources of Assistance If Your Child Has a Reading

Problem or Leaning Disability

ERIC Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children

The Council for Exceptional Children

1920 Association Drive

Reston, VA 22091

National Information Center for Children and Youth with

Disabilities

P.O. Box 1492

Washington, DC 20013-1492

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

9000 Rockville Pike, Bldg. 31

Bethesda, MD 20892

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically

Handicapped

Library of Congress

Washington, DC 20542

(202) 702-5100

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

U.S. Department of Education

Washington, DC 20202

Federal Publications for Parents on Helping Your Child

In addition to Helping Your Child Learn To Read, the U.S.

Department of Education publishes a number of books on related

subjects. To find out what's available and how to order,

request the Consumer Information Catalog listing nearly 200

useful federal publications. The Catalog is free from the

Consumer Information Center, Pueblo, Colorado 81009.

Acknowledgments

Marilyn Binkley of OERI provided a thoughtful review of

the manuscript. The book she prepared entitled Becoming a

Nation of Readers: What Parents Can Do gave inspiration for a

number of the activities and was the basis for the section on

parents and schools. Ray Fry, director of OERI's Library

Programs, provided invaluable support and guidance in

developing this book. Nancy Floyd managed the production of the

book, assisted by Torey Evans. Also, our special thanks go to

Leo and Diane Dillon for their advice on how to work with

illustrators.

Bernice Cullinan is a professor of Early Childhood and

Elementary Education at New York University and a highly

acclaimed reading specialist. She has authored numerous books

about children and reading, most recently Read to Me: Raising

Kids Who Love to Read.

Brod Bagert is the author of several books of poetry for

children to read out loud. Mr. Bagert visits dozens of American

cities as a keynote speaker for Bill Martin, Jr.'s Pathways to

Literacy. During the school year he is invited to schools

across the nation to read his poetry aloud as a way of

motivating children to read.

Darlene Marie Francis is a Guild Member of YA/YA Gallery

and an art student at Delgado Community College in New Orleans,

Louisiana. She has also studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti,

Perugia, Italy. Her work has been displayed in galleries in New

York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Memphis in the United States,

as well as in Paris, London, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Tuscany.

Her whimsically painted chairs have appeared on Sesame Street,

MTV, Today, and Japanese TV.

What We Can Do To Help Our Children Learn:

Listen to them and pay attention to their problems.

Read with them.

Tell family stories.

Limit their television watching.

Have books and other reading materials in the house.

Look up words in the dictionary with them.

Encourage them to use an encyclopedia.

Share favorite poems and songs with them.

Take them to the library--get them their own library cards.

Take them to museums and historical sites, when possible.

Discuss the daily news with them.

Go exploring with them and learn about plants, animals, and

local geography.

Find a quiet place for them to study.

Review their homework.

Meet with their teachers.

Do you have other ideas?

.