Children & Reading: What we know

A recent article in the SF Chronicle highlighted that fact that SAT Scores for Reading & Writing are at their lowest levels. B y the time a child takes the SAT, they are too far along in their education to hone the literacy skills they need to be successful. Lets take a look and what we know about children and reading and help to prevent a child getting to that impasse.

~ Reading aloud develops a child’s brain.

~ Read to your newborn; even babies benefit from being read to.

~ Minimize the distractions of all technological devices.

~ Read to your child at least once a day.

~ Implement DEAR in your home: Drop Everything & Read.

~ Make reading aloud part of your family routine.

~ Let the child choose the books.

~ Help children find the books they want to read.

~ Read slowly and interact with the story.

~ Children need to see parents reading.

Diane speaks with International Herald Tribune, KOREA JOONGANG DAILY

Diane speaks with International Herald Tribune, KOREA JOONGANG DAILY about the importance of parental involvement in helping their children develop high literacy skills.   http://article.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.asp?total_id=9365280&cloc=olink|article|default

Why read literature?

“Built to Last”, a recent article in the NY Times Book Review asked an important question: “Why study literature?” Here is one of the responses that most resonated with me.

 “Life without literature is a life reduced to penury. It expands you in every way. It illuminates what you’re doing. It shows you possibilities you haven’t thought of. It enables you to live the lives of other people than yourself. It broadens you, it makes you more human. It makes life enjoyable.”

Brainpower helps but kids need to learn grit.

We all want the best for our children, but how do we ensure that they not only survive but also thrive–today and in the future? For children to reach their full potential in school, the workforce and in life they need to acquire knowledge in many different areas. In addition they also need life skills so they make use of what they learn. What matters is not how much information can be stuffed into a child’s brain. What counts is whether we are able to help children develop a set of qualities, life skills that includes, persistence, and self-control, curiosity, conscientiousness, grit and self-confidence.

Paul Tough, in his book “ How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character” says, “the most valuable thing parents can do to help their children develop these qualities— may be to do nothing…Let our children face some adversity on their own, to fall down and not to be helped back up.”  Not easy advice for a parent to follow, but who ever said good parenting was easy? 

Diane takes Reading Together to Seoul Korea, September 10-18, 2012

Diane will model best practices and strategies for acquiring English as a second language as well as teach Conversational Reading skills for teachers of children in grades Kindergarten through primary school. The goal is to support a child’s academic success and build high-level literacy skills in terms of reading fluency and comprehension.