Read As A Family

National Family Literacy Day, sponsored by the National Center for Family Literacy, is officially celebrated across the United States on Nov. 1. It focuses on activities and events that showcase the importance of family literacy programs and was first held in 1994. Today, many family literacy events are held throughout the month of November. Literacy is the catalyst that inspires families and communities to raise the achievement bar. Family literacy is based on the premise that parents and children learn best when learning together.

Reading with your family is important every day. Here are some tips to make reading and literacy a success for your family.
• Reading is a skill that gets better with practice. Make reading fun. It is not all about drill.
• Bring your child to the library regularly. Attend storytimes or other library events, and take home books that your child enjoys as well as books that expand their reading.
• Encourage reading everywhere! Have your child read street signs and T-shirts. Get him to help with cooking (reading recipes, labels and shopping lists). Have your child keep track of family activities on a calendar.
• Give your child choices in what he reads. Magazines are appealing. They have short articles with colorful pictures. Poems are another great way to motivate. They are short and give the child a sense of accomplishment when read.
• Set reading goals. Reward reading with incentives of importance to your child. Learn what interests your child and connect that to reading. Is there a museum near your home that would be of interest? Read about famous athletes in a favorite sport or a favorite movie.
• Read every day as a family. Make learning new words fun. The more words a reader knows, the more he comprehends what he reads or hears. Have conversations about interesting words. Give your child a "kid-friendly" definition and then use the word in conversation.
• Help your child write a letter to a grandparent, family friend or pen pal.
• Show your child reading is important in your life. Be sure your child sees you enjoying reading for pleasure.