Practical tips for the everyday world to increase literacy and become a life-long book-lover
- Introduce books and reading early in life
- Play games involving letters and sounds
- Create a habit of reading—make it part of your everyday routine
- Read the same book together, or read separately, but at the same time
- Discuss what you are reading and ask questions
- Draw pictures about what you have read
- Choose words and phrases that you like and write them down in a word scrap book
- Visit the library and join a reading group
- One of the biggest issues facing young readers is what to read next. Choose books that hold your interest based on subject. Ask the librarian for suggestions on authors and titles—that’s what they are there for!
- Read the entire oeuvre of one author at a time
- In school, when you have to read material that doesn’t hold your interest, set a goal (5 pages or so) then take a short break to summarize
- Read at night before bed—it helps calm you down and doesn’t over stimulate the senses the way that television can
- Reading is the best way to build a strong vocabulary, and strong vocabulary is a big predictor of school success
- Practice what you preach. If you want your child to become a reader, you must first be a reader yourself
- Read everyday—newspapers, magazines, books, comics, or even the cereal box!
