Raising Strong Readers

 Raising Strong Readers

I walk into the living room to find my six year old daughter snuggled up with her normally rambunctious four year old brother on the couch. She is reading her latest treasure from the library and her brother is completely absorbed by the story. 

I know that the gift of literacy to my children is a gift of freedom and potential for their futures. So, how did we get to this moment? Did I higher personal reading tutors or lock my children in their rooms with a dictionary and an order not to come out until they could spell every word? No, that would be crazy! Instead I followed some easy, research driven guidelines set out by the Association for Library Services to Children and the Public Library Association. These are some easy ways to promote literacy in your home and give your child a gift that will last a lifetime:

• Read to your child, even if you don't think he is listening. I've done my fair share of reading to a dancing, train playing audience. You may not think they are getting anything out of it, but they are. One day they'll sit through a whole book and you'll be so glad you stuck with it.
• Talk to your child a lot, and make sure you use big words. A strong vocabulary is linked to good comprehension skills. Small children can learn big words and they love using them. My four year old son loves to tell me how “hilarious” his preschool friends can be.
• Sing to your child. This builds rhythm, pattern, and sound recognition. Besides, sometimes it feels good to belt out “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and end with a good tick session.
• Give your child lots of opportunities to draw and write. Paper and crayons are cheep toys so let them exercise their fine motor skills and their imaginations.
• Play with your child. This gives you and your child a chance to bond and build positive feelings while at the same time letting them experiment with story and narrative skills. After all, a super hero has to discover her powers first before she can defeat the bad guy and then save the day.

By following these easy guidelines you can build a home of literacy and learning, while building some happy family memories in the process.

Audrey Cornelius

Originally Published on The Center for Couples and Families Blog and Magazine

October 2014

Internet Link: http://couples-families.com/literacy/

Sample Preschool Story Time Handout

Collaborative Program Planning Sample

Animal Folktales Past and Present:

Blackbirds, Pigs, and Coyotes, Oh My! 

Roads of Self Exploration Through Global Folktales.

Created by Audrey Cornelius and Kelsie Nygren

Collaboration Website:
 https://storytimecentral.wikispaces.com/A.4.1.+Animal+Folktales+Past+and+Present

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead - Booktalk

Booktalk Script:

 

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead

Georges, the “s” is silent, goes to the seventh grade. He goes every day even though some of the other kids make fun of his name, he is certain the “Science Unit of Destiny” won't end well for him, and his home life has been turned on end ever since his dad lost his job. Even though his mom has been pulling double shifts at the hospital and his dad has started his own consulting business they still have to sell their house and move into a nearby Brooklyn apartment.  

Safer is a spy, or at least he is an expert on being a spy. He spends his day walking the neighbors' dogs, taking careful notes on the parrots nesting at the building next door, and tracking the movements of the mysterious and menacing Mr. X. His kid sister, Candy, is his number one spy trainee, but he needs more help if he is to crack the case on Mr X.

When Georges first meets Safer at a clandestine spy meeting in the basement of his new apartment building his life takes a turn for the stranger. Time once filled with watching old episodes of American's Funniest Home Videos is now spent tracking the status of strategically placed gum wrappers and learning the fine art of surveillance using the apartment lobby camera. 

This tale of friendship, family, and standing firm in the knowledge of who you are all plays out against the backdrop of the most wild spy chase of Georges' life. Find out what happens when these two boys meet and they discover that their view of the world might not be as obvious as they once thought. Read Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead, award winning author of When You Reach Me and First Light.

YouTube Video Link: http://youtu.be/_fGaz1ufd_0

Audience: This booktalk is for middle school aged kids who come from working class and middle class backgrounds who might be able to relate to the economic troubles in Georges' life.

Book Information:

Stead, Rebecca. 2012. Liar and Spy. New York: Yearling. Print. ISBN 978-0-385-73743-2

Home Literacy Practices

It's 5:30 PM. Dinner is running a little behind schedule, backpacks and shoes are strewn in an uneven mess from the front door to the family room, and the sounds of the family fill the house. It has been a long day, not bad just long, and I am looking forward to getting dinner done and putting kids to bed so I can finally rest. Busily chopping onions and listening to the meat sizzle on the stove I am interrupted by my daughter, “Mom, will you listen to me read?” My instinct is to tell her I can't right now because I'm too busy, but then I remember how important that time together really is. I quickly finish chopping my onion and take five minutes to listen to my daughter share a new book she brought home from school. We giggle over the silly pictures and point out the parts in the story we find especially interesting. It is only five minutes, but it is an important five minutes.

I want to give my kids an extra boost in their reading and writing skills and build strong family traditions of literacy and love. How does that relate to my daughter’s simple request to have me listen to her read? Well it all begins with the reading and learning culture you build in your home. Here are some great ways you can easily boost your child's literacy skills and build a culture of love and literacy in your home:

1. Listen to your child read aloud to you. This is great for building their self confidence and building some quality bonding time.
2. Read together often! The more you read and the earlier you start, the better the results.
3. Proudly display their artwork and notes. This shows that you value their efforts and gives them the confidence to continue practicing important reading and writing skills.
4. Point out and read signs found in your every day life. A great game to play with your preschool is having them count how many times they see the letter of the day while you drive around town running errands. It's a fun way to keep the little ones busy while taking advantage of a great learning opportunity.
5. Use big words. Kids are smart enough to learn them and are so cute when they use them. Don't be afraid to expand your vocabulary.
6. When making TV viewing choice, opt for educational shows to help reinforce and teach literacy concepts.
7. Go to the library! Show your kids how to find the books that interest them.
8. Have LOTS of books at home. Give your child plenty of opportunities to become familiar with books and reading. The more books the better.

If you follow these simple activities you will build a valuable culture of literacy in your home that will benefit your children and their education for a lifetime. They will also provide the foundation for countless tender moments of familial bonding and love.

Works Consulted:

Evans, M. A., & Shaw, D. (2000). “Home Literacy Activities and Their Influence on Early Literacy Skills.” Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 54(2).

SRP Advocacy Video for Freeman Branch 2013