STORYTELLING: TALKING ABOUT FAMILY HISTORY AND CREATING NEW ADVENTURES
One of the best ways to help foster family literacy in the home is to encourage all family members to engage in storytelling. Not only is storytelling a great way to share family history, it is also a great way to engage all members of the family -- especially those who are building literacy skills regardless of their age. Start by having an older member of the family tell a story about a major family event (wedding, birthday, graduation). Afterward, ask a younger member of the family to retell the story in his or her own words. Family members should be supportive when the child misses an important element and help the child pronounce key vocabulary words likes names of relatives, locations, etc. This activity helps build vocabulary, understand sequence, and recall information.
Family Literacy Tips: From A to Z (Reading Rockets)
Ask your child questions about the story you're reading to ensure comprehension.
Book family time to read with your children every day.
Create a special reading place in your home, with your child's favorite books within reach.
Donate funds to a literacy cause.
Encourage children to read words on TV, street signs, mugs and T-shirts.
Find new stories to read with your children every week. Vary their length and subject matter.
Give your time to read aloud to a child.
Have a child read a book to you.
International Literacy Day is held on September 8 every year. Celebrate the day by picking up a book and reading to a child.
January 27 is Family Literacy Day in Canada and November 1 in the United States. Find out how to create an event in your corner of the world.
Keep teens reading. Give them books, newspaper articles and magazines about things that interest them – music, movies, TV and computers.
Let children count out the change when making a purchase. Reinforce the importance of math in everyday life!
Make every day a learning day. Ask your children to make a shopping list, read recipes together or help them make a calendar of their weekly activities.
Newborns benefit from reading too!
Organize a children's book club with friends in your neighborhood.
Pick one night a week to make a regular visit to the library.
Quiet, cozy reading spaces are good places for your child to read independently.
Remember that children learn by example – if you recognize the importance of reading, your children will too!
Start early! It's never too early to read to your children.
Treat a child to a story a day.
Use reading time to create a special bond with a child.
Volunteer your time. Family literacy groups in your community could use your help with tutoring adults, reading to children and helping out with administrative tasks.
Write a letter.
X-ercise your mind! Reading ability is like a muscle, if you don't exercise it often, you will not maintain the same level of reading ability as you get older. So – "use it or lose it"!
You are the key to improving a child's reading ability by placing a high priority on reading in your home.
Zap off the TV - pick up a book instead!
There is great value in experiences and language. The more you experience and talk about, the more it will help develop early literacy skills. Not only will you create life long memories but by talking in depth about those experiences, you give your child background knowledge, vocabulary, story telling abilities, sequencing abilities, writing topics, ability to connect to reading and many more skills.
Don't underestimate the power of reading with your child on a consistent basis. Whatever your schedule allows, take the opportunity to curl up and read. Or use a flashlight and read in a "tent". Keep reading fun and entertaining. Also let you child see you read books.