Bringing Home Literacy

In addition to the book selections Kathy Roudybush shared with us at the Navigating Your Child's Future presentation, she also shared tips on how to help a child value reading. Reading to children has been called "the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for success in reading," according to the National Institute for Literacy. So how can a child get the most from your reading?

Before the Story, look at the cover and read the title and author's name. Then ask some of the following questions:

• What do you think this book is about? Why?
• Where do you think the story takes place?
• Have you ever read anything like this before?
• Allow your child to flip through the pages, pointing out the illustrations. Can you make any predictions on what will happen in the store based on the pictures?

After your have read the store, ask:

• What is the title of this story?
• Who is the author?
• Where does the story take place?
• Who is the most important character? Why?
• What is the problem or conflict in the story? How is it resolved?
• Dos this book remind you of another book?
• How did the story make you fell?
• Did the illustrations help tell the story?
• Has anything that takes place in the story ever happened to you?