|
.
Your source for free Consumer
Reports on Automobiles, Children, School, Insurance, Business, Safety,
Government benefits and much more.
-
Check Out More
- FREE Reports!
- How to Buy a used Car the Smart Way
Nine Ways to Lower Your Auto Insurance
Buying a Safer Car
66 Ways to Save Money
Guide to Getting a Government Job
The Small Business Handbook (128 pages)
Inside Guide to Air Quality
"Hottest Brand-new
Software Collection on the Web!
Over 50 brand new
"must-have" software programs in one amazing
package!
http://24-7-ebiz.com/
You will absolutely love using these profitable, time-saving
new software tools!
But we are also giving you the master resale rights to them
all...
so you can offer this huge, new software collection to others,
using a copy of this website ... and YOU keep all the money!
And because customers download the software themselves, your
costs per sale are zero!
So you keep the full 100% of every sale!
And you won't find a better profit margin than that!
http://24-7-ebiz.com/
What you are getting is a ready-made 100%
Profit 'Software Business' which others charge hundreds of
dollars for...
Check Out
What's
In This GREAT Package Now:
FREE
World Wide Resell Rights. 
|
Cost of Owning & Operating Autos
How to Communicate for Better Auto Service
Growing a Healthy and Safe Lawn
New Car Buying Guide
How to Buy Surplus Property from the Military
Guide to Buying Used Government Property
How to Buy Land from the Government
Finding & Purchasing Government Lands
|
Website
templates, Flash Intro Templates, Logo
Templates
Easily
create a unique web presence INSTANTLY using
pre-made designs and templates of the highest
quality. We have searched
for the best, and these pre-made web designs
can easily be customized to reflect your
company's branding. Highly
Recommended!
CLICK
HERE NOW
|
|

|
Helping Your Child Learn Responsible Behavior
Books for Children - a Reading List
Business Credit for Women & Minorities
Consumer Handbook for Credit Protection
How to Claim Government Benefits
Eating for Life - healthy eating to live longer
Earn up to 56% With Our
Powerful Associate Program
What's Fair in Collecting Debts
A Consumer's Guide to Fats in Foods
Guide to Federal Help for the Disabled
Your Home Fire Safety Checklist
A Consumer Guide to Air Travel
Fly Smart - How to enjoy your next flight
Foreign Country Entry Requirements
Getting Your GED

Helping Your Child Learn Geography
Helping Your Child Get Ready for School
Consumer Handbook on Adjustable Rate Mortgages
Helping Your Child Be Healthy & Fit
Helping Your Child Succeed in School
Helping Your Child Learn Math
Earn up to 56% With Our
Powerful Associate Program
Helping Your Child Learn to Read
Helping your Child Learn History
Preparing Your Child for College
Staying Independent in Your Older Years
Guide to Invention Promotion Scams
What You Should Know About Life Insurance
Lost or Stolen: Credit and ATM Cards
The Medicare Handbook

60 Commonly Asked Questions About Medicare
Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicaid
Invest Wisely - A Guide to Mutual Funds
Naturalization Requirements & General
Information
Customs Rules for Returning Residents
General Information Concerning Patents
Guide to Pesticides & Toxic Substances
Emergency Preparedness Checklist
Solving Credit Problems
Read It Before You Eat It!
Creating Resumes & Cover Letters that Work!
Your Guide to Social Security Benefits
Swindlers are Calling!
How Investment Swindles Work
Schools Without Drugs - A Plan for us all
Timeless Classics - A Reading List
Guide to Trademarks
Federal Benefits for Veterans & Dependents
Guide to Obtaining Vital Records
You
Can Sell Anything On The Internet!!!
"The
Secret"
-
|
|
Free Information
Reserve Center
|

|
|

Click Here for More Info
- 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?
|
|
|
Steal
the winning formula from the top10 affiliate marketers on the
Internet
using this secret system.
|




Sell
Anything Click
Here
|