Parents are their children’s first and most influential teachers. What parents do to help their children learn is important to academic success. Please consider the following as ways to help your child to develop literacy skills.
Conversation is important. Children learn to read, reason and understand better when parents…
- Read, talk and listen to their children.
- Tell stories and play games and discuss news, TV programs and special events.
- Read aloud to their children. This is probably the most important activity that you can do to encourage success in school. Listening to stories and other materials, children are building a knowledge base of concepts, schema and vocabulary to support them in the classroom.
- Provide children with a wide range of experiences. Talk with them while shopping; preparing good food; walking in the neighborhood; visiting friends, museums and special exhibits; or taking trips for specific purposes.
- Encourage children to think about events and experiences with others. Ask them to describe events and retell experiences.
- Enrich the curriculum of the home. Provide books, supplies and a special place to study.
- Observe routines for meals, bedtimes and homework. Monitor the amount of time children spend watching TV and doing after-school jobs. Talk about what was presented.
- Provide children with writing materials and opportunities to see you writing. Invite them to make lists, write family messages, send letters and notes to family and friends, keep journals or compose their own stories.
- Encourage children to share books and read with you.
- Set a good example by reading newspapers, magazines and books at home. Give time for sharing reading with each other.
- Stay aware of your child’s life at school, discuss school events, help him or her meet deadlines and talk with your child about school problems and successes.
- Contact your child’s teacher and exchange information and suggestions.