For Parents
Ways Parents Can Support Reading & Writing at Home:
1. Help your child find a special reading or writing spot at home
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make sure this is a comfortable space with little distraction
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have the tools for writing available at this space
2. Read aloud daily to your child.
3. Help your child notice reading and writing in the world
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look for signs in the outside environment and discuss
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talk about reasons people write
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point out all the people you see reading or writing
4. Visit bookstores and libraries
5. Take books with you on trips. When you run errands or go to the doctor's office encourage your child to bring a book.
6. Leave notes for your child in their lunch box or around the house. Also have your child leave notes for you.
7. Encourage friends and relatives to give books to your child as gifts and to write to your child.
8. Subscribe to a children's magazine and have the magazine sent directly to your child. Show interest when it arrives and talk about the articles.
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Suggestions: Sports Illustrated for Kids, Cricket, Ranger Rick, National Geographic for Kids, Kids Discover
9. Play word games like Scrabble, Boggle, Word Concentration. Tell jokes and riddles.
10. Encourage your child to read aloud to siblings, friends, adults.
11. Talk about your childhood memories. Share your favorite kid's books and authors.
12. Encourage your child to tell stories from pictures in magazines, newspapers, family photographs.
13. Model for your child the daily writing you do: shopping lists, notes to teacher, birthday cards, phone messages.
14. Remind your child to bring their writer's notebook on family outings.
Adopted from Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, Columbia University