Dresden Literacy Newsletter
Create a Literacy -Rich Environment at Home
So what exactly does it mean to create a literacy-rich environment?
Make Reading Aloud a BIG Priority
Read aloud several times a day. You can read aloud while your kids eat breakfast and lunch, and then as a transition between various activities throughout the day. If you have older kids who can read well, have them read aloud while you cook dinner. And of course, make the bedtime read aloud a treasured part of your day
Create a Family Library
Build a family library full of great books. If you have babies or toddlers, start with plenty of board books and a few picture books. As your kids begin to learn to read, add easy readers and early chapter books. For kids who are solid readers, help them follow their interests as they choose books. Keep books easily accessible by placing baskets or boxes of books throughout your house. Always keep books in the car, and stash a few in a tote bag that you take along on outings.
Visit Bookstores or Libraries
Keep it Cozy
Create a Writing Box
Fill a special box or tub with a variety of writing supplies. Include colored pencils, thin markers and fat markers, crayons, glitter pens, whatever you think will excite your young writers.
You’ll also want paper in a variety of colors and sizes, both lined and unlined. You can even staple paper together to make little books – kids love to write stories and publish their own books.
Let Your Child See You Writing and Reading
Most Importantly Make Literacy the Norm
Creating a literacy-rich home environment helps your children see literacy as a “norm” in your family – like good nutrition, cleanliness, kindness, or anything else in your family that they can count on. A literacy-rich home environment will support any reading curriculum, and it is a powerful strategy to support struggling readers. Kids who are surrounded by literacy are far, far more likely to develop into passionate, successful readers.
Check out these great websites for on the go reading!
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