Why have a book as a buddy?
A book is always there for you! Day, Evening, Night. Just pick it up and READ!!
A book is smart. Books contain pretty much all the knowledge and wisdom in the whole world – not just for today, but for all of history.
A book keeps your secrets. You can read/write/tell your secrets and it will never tell anyone.
At the start of the school year, I had each child bring to school their favorite book from home. It took us about two weeks but I read every book to the class. I loved reading the child’s favourite book. Often as I read the book, the child would read the entire book along with me, while the other children just listened.
This activity continued to promote my love for literacy and the connection between home and school.
Family literacy is essential for a child’s success. It can happen in so many fun and exciting ways, from enjoying a storybook together at bedtime or during the day, to playing word games, singing, writing to family and friends, sharing day-to-day tasks such as making shopping lists or using a recipe or surfing the Internet for fun and interesting sites.
As teachers we see the benefits of encouraging and developing family literacy with our families and students.
Here are some interesting literacy facts we already know but are a reminder to us to encourage literacy, family involvement and the love for books!!!
- Research shows children have a better chance of becoming fully literate adults if reading is encouraged in the home (Literacy BC).
- Studies show beyond dispute that children’s achievements in school improves with increased parent involvement in education (Henderson, 1998).
- Children raised in literate households are likely to enter grade one with several thousand hours of one to one pre-reading experience behind them (Literacy BC)
- For a child, the more time spent with a parent reading aloud increases his or her level of attachment, enhances a sense of security, and imparts the knowledge that their parent feels they are worthwhile people with whom to spend time (How to Raise a Reader, 1987).
- Having a parent or other caring person read aloud with their children helps children learn listening skills, vocabulary and language skills, as well as develop imagination and creativity (Family Literacy Foundation, 2001)
