National Family Literacy Day
Families who read together succeed together. November 1st has been designated as National Family Literacy day since 1994 and for the past 25 years libraries, schools and educational programs have celebrated this day by spreading the message of the importance early literacy has on children. Studies conducted by NCES (1999) showed that children who were read to three or more times a week were more likely to know their letters than those who were read to less frequently. Furthermore, children who were read to more frequently were more likely to be able to count to 20 or higher, write their own name, and read or pretend to read.
Tips for reading at home:
- Create a quiet place for reading to happen
- Start collecting books for an at home library
- Carve out time each day to read to your child and have them read to you
- Join the local library for story time and other literacy activities
- Read EVERYTHING - lists, magazines, recipes, signs, user manuals, the more words children are exposed to the better
- Make reading fun let your child pick books
- Lead by example - be a reader
References: Nord, C. W., Lennon, J., Liu, B., & Chandler, K. (1999). Home literacy activities and signs of children's emerging literacy: 1993 and 1999 (NCES No. 2000-026). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. Available: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2000/2000026.pdf
Image Source: http://readdbq.org/2014/11/
Notes:
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar04/vol61/num06/-Family-Literacy.aspx
In The Condition of Education, 2003, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) describes survey results showing that literacy activities in the home contribute to early reading success For example, the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study measured children's home literacy activities using an index that counted parents' reports of how often they read to their children, sang to them, and told them stories, as well as the number of children's books and audiotapes or CDs in the home.The children who ranked higher on this home literacy index also scored higher on reading and literacy skills when they entered kindergarten. The positive relationship between a home literacy environment and children's reading knowledge and skills held true regardless of the family's economic status (NCES, 2003, p. 74).
Another analysis of NCES survey data by Nord and colleagues (1999) read to them three or more times a week were more likely to know their letters than were children whose family members read to them less frequently.
In addition, their research found that children whose family members read to them frequently were more likely to be able to count to 20 or higher, write their own names, and read or pretend to read.