September 2010: The School Library Link to Jumpstarting Your Child's School Year

Starting the school year can sometimes be a challenge, especially after three months of summer fun. But returning to the school library can be one of the activities your child looks forward to tDownload PDF now!he most. What new books have come in? What posters has the school librarian put up? What new activities will we do in a new grade? And there’s always that all-important first book your child brings home when they visit the school library in the new school year. Here are some strategies that can help your child jumpstart their school year.

Ask About Your Child’s New Books
Visiting a school library on a regular basis gives students opportunities for something new to read each week. Make a point to find out what books your child discovers at the school library. Read them aloud before bedtime. Talk about them and ask questions. Every effort you make to show how fun reading can be helps your child keep reading. When kids read for fun, they read more. And the more you read, the better reader you become.

Create a Reading Corner
If you don’t have one, a special place just for reading is a great way to make that time accessbile and appealing. Reading shouldn’t feel like work! Have your child pick a place in the house that is comfortable and well-lit, throw a few pillows down, and perhaps put down a small bin to keep your child’s book supply in. Many schools ask that your child read at least 30 minutes a night. Make that time something to look forward to!

Visit Your Public Library
One of the best ways to ensure your child always has something fresh to read is to keep a supply on hand! Visiting your local public library is a great way to keep your child active and interested in new stories and topics. The great thing about borrowing books is that you don’t have to feel guilty if you don’t want to finish one. Put it down and pick up another! Prepare for your visit: You can also sit down with your child on the Internet and explore the public library’s online catalog to search for new books, send for interlibrary loans, or put popular books on reserve.

Read With Your Child
Reading aloud to your child is a fun and important activity. When you read aloud to a child, you help them learn new vocabulary, understand how to read fluently with inflection, and how to connect words with their sounds. It’s also an opportunity to discuss what you’re reading together. “What do you think will happen next?” you might ask. “Why do you think this character is behaving this way?” These kinds of questions can help your child with comprehension as well as understanding the elements of stories.
     However, reading aloud isn’t the only way to read “with” your child. Modeling reading behavior is important too. Maybe when your child reads his book for 30 minutes, you could sit down in the reading corner with him and read your own book. Share with your child what you like to read and why.
    For more on how the school library can help you jumpstart your child’s school year, read on!

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The Link to... Reading Aloud, Reading Together

Here are some great books about how to find good stories to read aloud, how to read them, and where to find even more resources!
What to Read When: The Books and Stories to Read to Your Child--and All the Best Times to Read Them by Pam Allyn (Penguin Books, 2009).
In this book, Pam Allyn, the director of the literacy organization, LitLife, celebrates the value of reading aloud and offers strategies on how to make it part of your regular routine. This book includes a section on “How to Read Aloud,” which teaches parents how to read to children so they are engaged and responsive. It also includes a “reader’s ladder” of titles for children from birth to age 10, as well as lists of recommended books in 50 selected themes.
Hey! Listen to This: Stories to Read Aloud by Jim Trelease (Penguin Books, 1992).
Jim Trelease, author of the bestselling The
Read-Aloud Handbook (Penguin Books, 2006),
has compiled an anthology of 50 selections perfect for reading aloud. Aimed at grades K-4, some selections are complete stories while others are chapters from novels. Each piece is introduced by Trelease with some background, and is completed with suggestions for follow-up reading.

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Online Resources for Family Reading

Reading is Fundamental (RIF) has a great Web site on all things reading. It has a useful section for parents who are looking for tips on motivating kids to read, choosing good books, reading aloud, and much more.
Visit www.rif.org/parents/

On the Reading Rockets Web site, parents can learn about finding just the right books, fun activities to couple with reading, and how to build literacy skills at home.
Visit www.readingrockets.org/audience/parents

The U.S. Department of Education has a collection of articles to help parents with helping your child be ready to read, strategies for creating strong readers, and the five essential components of reading.

Visit www2.ed.gov/parents/read/resources/readingtips/index.html