"THIS SUMMER, SET TIME ASIDE JUST FOR READING..."
Motivating Kids to Read:
Here are some tips to keep your kids reading during the summer:
Combine activities with books. Summer leaves lots of time for kids to enjoy fun activities, such as going to the park, seeing a movie, or going to the beach. Why not also encourage them to read a book about the activity? If you're going to a baseball game, suggest that your child read a book about a favorite player beforehand. In the car or over a hot dog, you'll have lots of time to talk about the book and the game.
Visit the library. If your child doesn't have a library card, summer is a great time to sign up for one. In addition to a wide selection of books to borrow, many libraries have fun, child-friendly summer reading programs.
Lead by example. Read the newspaper at breakfast, pick up a magazine at the doctor's office, and stuff a paperback in your beach bag. If kids see the adults around them reading often, they will understand that literature can be a fun and important part of their summer days.
Talk it up. Talking with your kids about what you have read also lets them know that reading is an important part of your life. Tell them why you liked a book, what you learned from it, or how it helped you—soon they might start doing the same.
Help kids find time to read. Summer camp, music lessons, baseball games, and videos are all fun things kids like to do during the summer. However, by the end of the day, children may be too tired to pick up a book. When planning summer activities with children, remember to leave some time in their schedules for reading. Some convenient times may be before bedtime or over breakfast.
Relax the rules for summer. During the school year, children have busy schedules and often have required reading for classes. Summer is a time when children can read what, when, and how they please. Don't set daily minute requirements or determine the number of pages they should read. Instead, make sure they pick up books for fun and help find ways for them to choose to read on their own. You may even want to make bedtime a little bit later if you find that your child can't put down a book.
Have plenty of reading material around. Storybooks aren't the only thing that kids can read for fun. Be sure to have newspapers, magazines, and informational material on hand that might spark the interest of a young reader.
Use books to break the boredom. Without the regular school regimen, adults and kids need more activities to fill the hours. Books that teach kids how to make or do something are a great way to get kids reading and keep them occupied. Don't forget to take your kids' favorite reading series along on long road trips.
Read aloud with kids. Take your children to see a local storyteller or be one yourself. The summer months leave extra time for enthusiastic read-alouds with children, no matter what their age. Don't forget to improvise different voices or wear a silly hat to make the story that much more interesting!
Author: Laura J. Colker, Ed.D.
Source: RIF (Reading is Fundamental)
Visit the library. If your child doesn't have a library card, summer is a great time to sign up for one. In addition to a wide selection of books to borrow, many libraries have fun, child-friendly summer reading programs.
Lead by example. Read the newspaper at breakfast, pick up a magazine at the doctor's office, and stuff a paperback in your beach bag. If kids see the adults around them reading often, they will understand that literature can be a fun and important part of their summer days.
Talk it up. Talking with your kids about what you have read also lets them know that reading is an important part of your life. Tell them why you liked a book, what you learned from it, or how it helped you—soon they might start doing the same.
Help kids find time to read. Summer camp, music lessons, baseball games, and videos are all fun things kids like to do during the summer. However, by the end of the day, children may be too tired to pick up a book. When planning summer activities with children, remember to leave some time in their schedules for reading. Some convenient times may be before bedtime or over breakfast.
Relax the rules for summer. During the school year, children have busy schedules and often have required reading for classes. Summer is a time when children can read what, when, and how they please. Don't set daily minute requirements or determine the number of pages they should read. Instead, make sure they pick up books for fun and help find ways for them to choose to read on their own. You may even want to make bedtime a little bit later if you find that your child can't put down a book.
Have plenty of reading material around. Storybooks aren't the only thing that kids can read for fun. Be sure to have newspapers, magazines, and informational material on hand that might spark the interest of a young reader.
Use books to break the boredom. Without the regular school regimen, adults and kids need more activities to fill the hours. Books that teach kids how to make or do something are a great way to get kids reading and keep them occupied. Don't forget to take your kids' favorite reading series along on long road trips.
Read aloud with kids. Take your children to see a local storyteller or be one yourself. The summer months leave extra time for enthusiastic read-alouds with children, no matter what their age. Don't forget to improvise different voices or wear a silly hat to make the story that much more interesting!
Author: Laura J. Colker, Ed.D.
Source: RIF (Reading is Fundamental)
Become a literacy role model:
A Smarter Summer: Less TV
By Carol H. Rasco, Director, America Reads Challenge
Would you allow your child to spend summer vacation watching television every waking moment for two straight months? Of course not! Yet over the course of a year, that is how much time the average child watches TV—one thousand hours, or more than 60 16-hour days!
The shows kids watch add up, and summer's free time can mean even more time for the tube. But most parents don't want their kids to have a "dumber summer." That's when a student's school year gains are eroded or erased by months of mental idleness.
National studies show a decline in achievement when kids watch TV more than 10-15 hours per week. Students earn higher test scores when they read more and watch TV less. But few children can regulate themselves when it comes to TV-most spend as much time with TV in one day as they spend reading for fun in a week!
When parents take charge, however, the benefits are far-reaching. In a recent study by PBS, parents who took charge of their child's TV viewing got remarkable results.
Their children watched 40% less TV each week and viewed more educational shows. Parents were far more likely to watch and discuss the shows with their children. The parents also read books to children more often, and for longer periods, and took more trips to the library and bookstore. Why do these changes matter?
They matter because smart alternatives to TV can provide a big boost to your child's brain. Did you know that the vocabulary of the average children's book is greater than that found on prime-time television? Reading also builds your child's knowledge of new subjects. In addition, reading practice advances the brain's ability to recognize new words automatically, a key step toward faster reading.
Committing to a smarter summer won't cost you a cent, but it will enrich your kids' vacation. Here are a few ways your child can shine this summer, while the TV screen stays dark.
Would you allow your child to spend summer vacation watching television every waking moment for two straight months? Of course not! Yet over the course of a year, that is how much time the average child watches TV—one thousand hours, or more than 60 16-hour days!
The shows kids watch add up, and summer's free time can mean even more time for the tube. But most parents don't want their kids to have a "dumber summer." That's when a student's school year gains are eroded or erased by months of mental idleness.
National studies show a decline in achievement when kids watch TV more than 10-15 hours per week. Students earn higher test scores when they read more and watch TV less. But few children can regulate themselves when it comes to TV-most spend as much time with TV in one day as they spend reading for fun in a week!
When parents take charge, however, the benefits are far-reaching. In a recent study by PBS, parents who took charge of their child's TV viewing got remarkable results.
Their children watched 40% less TV each week and viewed more educational shows. Parents were far more likely to watch and discuss the shows with their children. The parents also read books to children more often, and for longer periods, and took more trips to the library and bookstore. Why do these changes matter?
They matter because smart alternatives to TV can provide a big boost to your child's brain. Did you know that the vocabulary of the average children's book is greater than that found on prime-time television? Reading also builds your child's knowledge of new subjects. In addition, reading practice advances the brain's ability to recognize new words automatically, a key step toward faster reading.
Committing to a smarter summer won't cost you a cent, but it will enrich your kids' vacation. Here are a few ways your child can shine this summer, while the TV screen stays dark.
- Nurture an interest in reading. Visit the library instead of the video store. Let your children choose their own books, with guidance from a librarian. If a child has a favorite TV interest, like basketball or science fiction, help find books on the topic. Don't underestimate the entertainment value of the library. It really can compete with videos when given the chance.
- Hold a Camp-In. Before dark, set up a campsite in your home. String up sheets to create a tent; use blankets for bedrolls. Turn off all electrical equipment and rely on flashlights. Have family members tell stories, eat snacks, play games, and sing songs around a pretend campfire. Allow the children to sleep in their "tent". At breakfast, ask how much they missed TV.
- Play "Michael Unplugged" (fill in your child's name). At least once this summer, take a family pledge to not watch TV for a week. Then have each child record his or her unplugged activities—books read, letters written, and other activity during the usual TV time. At the end of the week, have a celebration, ask children which alternative they liked best, and discuss future cutbacks on viewing.
