Education enrichment: Building literacy at home

Building literacy at home

Start reading with your young children and keep reading together even after your children can read on their own.

Read daily and frequently; pick a regular time to read.

Make sure your child has books appropriate for his reading level. If there are more than five words per page that your child cannot read, it is probably too difficult.

Choose books, or a series of books, with rhyme or repetition for learning new words because they use similar vocabulary and characters.

Encourage your child to make predictions about what will happen next.

Talk about the book and ask questions.

Link the story you are reading to your child's world: "Do you remember when we went to the farm/store/etc.?"

Re-read a favorite book many times.

Read books based on movies. It's fun to watch the movie after reading the book.

Use different voices for the characters in the book.

Place a reading light in your child's room.

Build a library corner for your child.

Subscribe to magazines that would interest your child.

Introduce your child to a book series.

Get a library card and plan regular visits.

Turn off the television and have family reading time.

Buy books as gifts

Source: Kiawatha Pine Ridge School District