Encouraging Reading and Writing at Home

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Encouraging reading and writing at home, reading and writing resources for families, reading and writing with your kids

Encourage reading at home:

Read with—not just to—your child every day in any language
Make reading a social occasion by sitting together in a comfy spot, joking, asking and answering questions
Have books, magazines, and other reading materials for your child and for yourself. Reading materials can be bought, traded with other parents, found at yard sales, or borrowed form the library. Many resources are available online
Put a limit on television viewing and video game playing. Family time, homework, chores, and friends come first.
Support your child’s choice of books but do not be afraid to make suggestions. Both you and your child should discuss what is being read in your home.
Let your child see you reading for pleasure.
Suggest books that appeal to your child’s interests
Point out print all around you. Look at street signs, grocery store label, posters
Read recipes and cook them together
Make scrapbooks
Read something together and discuss it
Praise your child for reading

Encouraging writing at home:

Let your children watch when you fill out forms, pay bills, write birthday cards, notes, letters, emails
Let your children help when you are writing a letter to a friend by adding a word, sentence or a picture. Ask their advice
Allow your child to dictate an email to a family member
Allow your child to make up the shopping list
Allow your child to pretend to write. This is a beginning stage of writing
Make sure there is plenty of lined paper and blank paper in your home
Make sure there are sharp pencils, pens, crayons and markers in a convenient spot for everyone in your home to use
Write something together with your child

Online Reading and Writing Resources for Parents:

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/parentGuideLit.pdf

The above link is for a 28-page guide “Helping your child with reading and writing,” for parents K-6 put out by the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat. Some of the pertinent topics includes:

How Can I Help My Child?

What Tips Can I Use?

Help Your Child Understand

What He or She Reads

Talk With Your Child

Make Reading Enjoyable

Encourage Your Child to Write

Bring Literacy to Life through the Arts

Be a Positive Role Model

Bring “Critical Literacy” Into Your Home

Canadian Children’s Book Centre

http://www.bookcentre.ca/