From the Vice President: Read To Your Child

Bessie Gage, Vice President Representing Infancy/Early Childhood

Parents often ask, "What can I do to help my child learn to read?" I always say, "Read to your child." I start buying books for children of family, friends, and colleagues as soon as the children are born.

Parents and caregivers can promote literacy development in young children by providing a print-rich environment, including a variety of excellent age-appropriate books, and by encouraging language during play. Literacy development begins at birth and continues throughout life. Families have the first opportunity to influence young children's literacy development. As parents encourage literacy development, they are helping their children learn to read and also to enjoy a lifelong relationship with books. Parents can provide a stimulating, literacy-rich environment in the home and ensure that the child's everyday world is full of print. Parents should encourage the child's involvement with printed materials throughout the day, every day. Early childhood professionals should provide parents with information about resources and materials to promote early literacy development (Hill-Clarke & Cooley, 2002; Lee, 2002; McGee & Richgels, 1990).

"Beginning at birth and throughout the early childhood years, reading aloud may be the most important thing adults can do to support children's literacy development" (Lamme, 2002, p. 17). Try to make reading a routine and an important part of the day at home and at the child care center. Make children's interactions with books and other printed materials a pleasant and fun-loving experience. Sitting on the parent's or caregiver's lap during reading helps deepen the relationship and gives the child a sense of security (Lamme, 2002).

For quality experiences to occur with books, parents and caregivers must have high-quality books in the home and school environment. Some families have limited resources to purchase books and a lack of transportation to get to the library. Many teachers, centers, schools, universities, and community-based programs offer learning programs to help provide early literacy experiences for young children (Lamme, 2002). An example is the use of family literacy bags that are sent home to enhance family involvement in literacy. These bags include three books, a guidebook for parents, and materials for extension activities. The three books reflect a general theme, such as friendship or change. The guidebooks contain suggested questions for discussing the books with the child. The bags also include evaluation forms through which parents can provide feedback.

Some of the preliminary findings about family literacy bags indicate that 82 percent of the families enjoyed all of the books and 18 percent enjoyed some of the books. Forty-eight percent of the families found all of the information in the guidebook helpful, 46 percent found some of the information helpful, and 6 percent found none of the information helpful (Denver & Burts, 2002). The selection of books for young children for both the home and a child care setting should be developmentally appropriate for the child.

References
Denver, M. T., & Burts, D. C. (2002). Using family bags to enhance family involvement. Dimensions, 30(1), 16-20.
Hill-Clarke, K. Y., & Cooley, S. M. (2002). Promoting early literacy in the natural environment. Dimensions, 30(4), 10-16.
Lamme, L. L. (2002). Reading good books: Priming the pump for literacy development. Dimensions, 30(4), 17-21.
Lee, G. L. (2002). Three strategies to promote young children's literacy development. Dimensions, 30(2), 27-31.
McGee, L. M., & Richgels, D. J. (1990). Literacy's beginnings: Supporting young readers and writers. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

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