Parent Information

As parents/guardians, you are your child's first teacher, and your enthusiasm for your child's developing reading and writing abilities is important. You can be your child's cheerleader and help your child learn to love reading and writing.

Becoming a successful reader and writer has been shown to be the most important ability for later success in education, employment and in future life. It all starts at home with young children talking to and with siblings and adults. Talking helps children to expand their vocabulary and understanding of the world. The ability to carry on a conversation is important for reading development.

Did you know? Research shows that children who read to -or with- someone at home make more progress in reading than those who don't share reading at home.

There are some things you can do to help make reading enjoyable for your child:

• Just before bedtime is a good time to read to your child
• Turn the TV off when you are reading to your child
• Talk about the story and the pictures while you read. Ask your child to find things in the pictures
• Let your child read along, even if he or she is not really reading
• Praise your child's interest in the story

It is important to read to your child, but also important to listen to him/her read to you. Children love to be praised for their efforts! Listening to your child read aloud the books he/she brings home each day from the Reading Recovery lesson is very important. It gives your child the opportunity to practice his/her reading and for you to tell your child how proud you are of his/her efforts. Most of all, this is another way to enjoy reading together.

You can also help at home to develop your child's interest in writing. Writing should be fun! When your child draws a picture, encourage him/her to write something about the picture. Praise your child's efforts and don't expect all the words to be spelled correctly.

These are some things you can do to make writing enjoyable for your child:

• Have some blank paper and crayons, pencils or markers for your child to use.
• Encourage your child to write lists, telephone messages, letters, stories, etc.
• Have your child read his/her writing to you.
• Make labels for things in your house or things your child draws.
• Write letters or cards to each other.
• Make a list of things together, such as things-to-do or a shopping list.
• Help your child with his/her homework.