Stuffed letters are great for new readers.
Research
Help your child understand what he’s reading
Photo by Dan Smith, Wikimedia Commons I was talking to a mom today about a child who is having some trouble with reading comprehension. In other words, he reads a paragraph and has trouble understanding and summarizing what he’s just read. He also isn’t reading a lot—possibly he doesn’t enjoy […]
Give your child the message that reading is fun
If reading’s not really your thing, make sure you’re not passing along that message to your children. Let them see reading as a fun and exciting activity. And it will be.
Picture is worth 1,000 words to a toddler
To a pre-reader, words aren’t the main attraction. As a parent, you can read the words to your child sometimes… and then other times, don’t be afraid to ignore the words. You can go through an entire picture book with your toddler, pointing to the pictures and talking about them. Identify […]
Bubbles are fragile things
I resolve not to burst my kid’s bubble. I’ve been noticing lately that kids are subjected to a lot of scolding. The problem with scolding is that it can so easily be the cold bucket of water that douses the flames of creativity. Here’s what I mean. Kid: “Hey mom, […]
Five minutes to bridge the racial achievement gap
I’ve been reading this book – Choke. (Because I tend to choke at tennis, that’s why.) But it’s got some really interesting things to say that will help your kid with test anxiety. Researchers were studying what happens to African-Americans, for instance, who experience racism throughout their life. These students can have something […]
In praise of praising
I read an article in which the author says, basically, most praise is bad. It stayed with me, because: 1) I know that as a parent I probably do praise too much; and 2) he’s probably right; and 3) I’m not going to stop praising my son. Alfie Kohn is a […]
Remarkable research on kids’ ability to self-instruct
Here’s why we say you should “scatter books around the house.”
I want you to watch this exciting speech by Sugata Mitra on TED.com that illustrates the extent to which kids can teach themselves.
Through his “Hole in the Wall” project he conducted a series of experiments in 1999.
Give your kid more – he can handle it
Every new mom knows that her baby understands more than he can say. You say to a baby, “milk!” and that baby brightens right up. Long before he can speak, he understands.
That amazing, ahead-of-the-curve process never stops, as long as kids are constantly challenged with new ideas and offered the chance to learn new skills.
I’m not advocating French flash cards for infants or War and Peace for a toddler. But I am saying that your kids can handle more than you think.
Why adults should read children’s books
When kids see adults reading they’re more likely to read, themselves. It isn’t just a theory, there’s been research done on this.
When a kid sees an adult reading a children’s book, he’s even more likely to read. Try picking up a kid’s book for yourself the next time you’re at the library; the effect on your child will be very interesting.
My literacy colleague, Jen Robinson, has a slew of other great reasons why adults should read children’s literature.
