With the Easter holidays looming at the end of the month, families budgets tight, and the weather unpredictable: one question on the lips of parents is what can we do on a rainy day at home?

Books could be the answer, and if you can brave the outdoors for a library trip, then all the better – it’s free!

The children’s book market is huge and there are so many titles to choose from, jigsaw books, interactive ones, noisy books and craft books to name but a few. There is bound to be something to please every little boy and girl and with World Book Day coming up, you can use your vouchers and/or visit a book fair and stock up.

Here are a few of my favorites:

The Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson – encourages children to recognise the rhythm and rhyme of words

Usborne Easter Things to Make and Do – Fiona Watt

Hugless Douglas and the Big Sleep – David Melling

Time indoors doesn’t have to be boring or taken up with electrical devices. Why not do a jigsaw book together, make something out of a baking or craft book, or simply enjoy reading the book together. You could re-enact a scene from your child’s favorite book, dress up like your favorite characters or draw a picture of them for your wall.

The only limit to books is your imagination, and we all know a child’s imagination is endless. Next time it’s a rainy day, make the most of being indoors with your child and their favorite book.

Books are an essential part of a child’s life. They help them learn to read, to communicate, to learn about the world, and a good book can feed a child’s imagination to no end. An early reader is often a reader for life, so give your child a head start and open a book.

Remembering letters, sounds, and sight words may be difficult for your kindergartner.  Reading long picture books may seem impossible to your second grader. Your fifth grader might struggle to finish his or her assigned chapter book before the book report is due. The Great Gatsby probably seems a lot less interesting to your ninth grader than Facebook.

No matter how old your child is, he or she may be struggling with reading. Reading and comprehending what we read are some of the most complex things we do as humans. It’s no wonder that so many kids and adults struggle to develop critical literacy skills. Fortunately, if you’re the parent of a struggling reader, there are a number of things you can do at home to help your child become a better reader and make reading less difficult for your child. Here are three strategies you can try out to increase your son or daughter’s literacy skills now:

1. Reward your child for reading

If you promise your child twenty, uninterrupted minutes on his or her Nintendo 3DS or on the computer after twenty minutes of reading for pleasure, you can bet that your child will give reading a try, even if the reading material seems too difficult. Kids are a lot more likely to read what they perceive to be challenging material if they’re rewarded for doing so.

If you do decide to reward your child for reading, make sure you sit down with him or her and help out. Consider requesting that your child reads aloud to you, or consider asking a few questions about the reading material after your child reads silently. Let your son or daughter know that you’ll help with difficult words. Kids who have low self-esteem when it comes to reading will sometimes pretend to read to avoid feeling defeated by a challenging book. If you make sure your child reads, and you provide the support your child needs to read successfully, your child will begin to feel a lot less intimidated by books and eventually won’t even need to be rewarded for reading.

2. Make learning new words fun

Your child probably doesn’t think it’s very much fun to memorize new words and definitions with flash cards. So, ditch the old school memorization tools and make learning new words at home fun. For instance, you can print out a blank game board template you find online. On this game board, you can write sight words (or vocabulary words for older kids). You and your child can take turns rolling the dice and moving along the game board. The catch is that, in order to move along in the game, your child has to read the words written on the game spaces and define them. A game like this will teach your child plenty of new words and make learning those new words fun. This is just one of the many examples of games you can play with your child to increase his or her literacy skills. So, scavenge for game ideas online, and make sure you have some fun too!

3. Use technology

Technology makes learning more interactive and oftentimes more enjoyable. So, consider investing in some age-appropriate reading software that will expose your child to new stories, words, skills, and ideas. If you have an e-reader or tablet you already use for yourself, download some e-books for your son or daughter on it. Technology can bring difficult and tedious subject matter to life, and it can make learning new concepts seem less like arduous work to your kids.

Remember that good reading habits are best cultivated both at home and at school, and try out the strategies above. Additionally, if you think your child may have a learning disability that makes reading particularly challenging, talk to a professional about ways you can provide extra support to your child at home.

Pepper Givens is an online blogger and freelance writer who focuses much of her content on promoting online colleges in Texas, as that is her home state. She also covers other educational topics and welcomes your questions and comments.

It is important for parents to recognize that questions are how kids learn.  The constant questioning can become irritating and frustrating to an adult, but children’s bodies and brains are developing and their language and vocabulary skills are increasing rapidly, giving them the tools they need to become “little scientists.”  When children learn to read, they gain access to books and even more knowledge, which leads to an endless possibility of questions.  They start forming perceptions (however silly they may sometimes seem) about the world and the way it works.  If a child wants an answer and an explanation, they are going to ask.  It’s that simple.

Perhaps adults should take a page from the book of children.  Caregivers are becoming more and more aware of the importance of reading with kids at home everyday.  However, a lot of parents aren’t aware that they might not be maximizing learning and absorption for their child.  The best and most important oral reading skills a child can gain stems from practice at home, but as this reading specialist states, “oftentimes well-intentioned parents frequently do more harm than good when they teach their children to blend [sound words out] improperly.”  So what exactly do parents need to know in order to guide their children with beneficial reading strategies?  From Dr. Kathleen J. Brown’s excellent presentation, we have answered the question, “What Should I Say When They Get Stuck on a Word?”

Here are some guidelines on how to help your child get the most out of reading practice:

General Dos and Don’ts: 

Avoid:  Asking your child to try and guess an unfamiliar word based off an accompanying picture.

Here’s why:  Never cue a picture before cuing a word.  Pictures will eventually disappear from text as children advance in school, so forming a dependency on pictures is a weakness.  Trying to guess what word an unfamiliar word might be is a bad reading strategy – there are much better ways to decode words (keep reading for strategies).

Avoid:  Immediately twitching, squeaking, or pointing when your child messes up or stops on a word.

Here’s why:  Not only will you likely make your kid feel self-conscious about their reading abilities by negatively responding to their mistake, you will also mess up the flow of their reading.

Avoid:  Saying, “You know that word!  You just read it a few minutes ago!” when your child gets stuck.

Here’s why:  Telling a child they should know something that they don’t will only make them feel dumb and potentially afraid of seeking help when they need it (at home and in school).  Chances are that if your child is struggling, they already feel frustrated and inferior and this kind of response can be more harmful than you realize.

Avoid:  Just giving the child the word they are struggling with.

Here’s why:  Mistakes are a great way for us to learn.  If you tell a child the word they cannot figure out, they won’t remember it later on because they did not use their decoding and comprehension skills to figure it out.  If children correctly use the decoding skills they have been taught to figure out the word, they will form a neural pathway and be able to commit those words and skills to memory.

Try:  If your child messes up on a word, let them finish the whole phrase or sentence.  If they self-correct, simply say, “Good fixing!”  Enforce the notion that good readers fix their mistakes, not that good readers do not make mistakes.

Try:  If the child doesn’t self-correct by the end of the sentence, stop them, and use a pencil to point to the beginning of the word and say, “This word tricked you.”  Then point at the beginning of the phrase or sentence and say, “Start here.”  Let the child make a running start at the word again and see how that goes.  If they are able to self-correct on the second try, reinforce with, “Good fixing!”

Try:  If the child makes the same mistake or gets stuck again, put your pencil down and ask yourself two questions:  1) What kind of word is this?  2) What does my child know about words like this (what level are they on)?  Your answers will help you be more effective.

 Types of Words:

• Closed Syllables

• The vowel in these words (we’re focusing on single syllable) is “closed in” by a consonant
• These words are easy to sound out
• The vowel is very likely to use its short sound
• Examples:  “Ten,” “Jump,” and “Cap”
• These words are good for teaching children to blend across a word orally and visually
• “Ten”:  t(tuh) –e(eh)-n(nnn)

• Irregular, High-Frequency 

• These words are some of the most common and often stem from old-English, making them pronounced differently from years ago, so they don’t follow the rules very well
• Examples: “The,” “Of,” “Who,” and “Enough”
• “Of” would be spelled “Ov” the way it’s pronounced

• Vowel Patterns

• Use phonics rules and common vowel patterns
• Examples:  “Lake,” “Barn,” and “Tail”
• Pattern used in “Lake”: “a” – consonant – “e” (same with A, E, I, O, and U)
• Pattern used in “Barn”:  R-controlled vowels (the bossy R)
• Pattern used in “Tail”: Vowel teams, where one vowel is pronounced and the other isn’t

Kids should learn these vowel patterns in school, but as a parent, you can learn to recognize the patterns as well.

• Words with Affixes and Polysyllabic Words

• Words with endings, suffixes, and prefixes
• Multiple syllables

 Best Strategies for Each Word Type:

• Closed Syllables

• Blend (sound the word out)
• “Ten”:  t(tuh) –e(eh)-n(nnn)

• Irregular, High-Frequency Words

• Point to the word.  Get kids to give you the first sound of the word (example the “th” sound in “the”)
• Then give the child the word (say “the”)
• Back the child up to the beginning of the sentence and have them read it again using the word

• Vowel Patterns

• Ask the child, “What is the vowel pattern here?”
• Example word, “Barn”
• Child answers: “a-r”
• Ask the child, “What sound does the combination a-r make?”
• Child answers: “ahr”
• Say, “Now sound the word out.”
• Child answers, “b(buh) –ar(ahr) –n(nnn)”

In vowel pattern words, it is not as simple to sound the word out.  There are orthographic patterns, such as silent letter E’s and the way the letter R dominates vowels.  Explicit phonics instruction is very important when teaching blends, digraphs, and vowel patterns.

• Words with Affixes and Polysyllabic Words

• Use your thumb or index cards to help kids decide where to break the word up (separate the syllables) and blend the word in pieces
• “Incandescent”: In-can-des-cent
• “Pretest” – take off the prefix “pre” and have the child look at “test.”  Then add “pre” to “test” for “pretest.”

 Best Strategies by Level: 

• Early Grade 1 to Mid-Grade 1 Readers

• If the word is short and blendable (closed syllable), let the child sound it out.
• If not, point to the first letter and ask:  “Sound?”
• After you receive the sound from the child, give the word.
• Have the child read again from the beginning of the sentence, and move on.

Children on this instructional level will not be working on learning vowel patterns yet.  Also, you may be asking yourself, “Why is backing up important?”  The repetition helps build the orthographic (spelling) representation of the words in the child’s memory, along with helping to build fluency.  It also strengthens comprehension that may have been impeded because the child had to stop their train of thought and figure the word out.

• End of Grade 1 to End of Grade 2 Readers

• If the word is blendable (closed syllable), let the child sound it out.
• If not, does the child know the vowel pattern being used?  If so, focus on the pattern with your pencil, then have the child sound the word out.
• If they don’t know the vowel pattern, prompt them for the first sound in the word and then tell them the word.

Children on this level should be working on vowel patterns, so ask for the vowel sound before diverting to prompting for the first sound and then telling the word.  At this level, the child may encounter some complicated, high-frequency words (such as “bought”) with vowel patterns (ough) that they may not have learned yet. Going back to the first sound and giving the word is the next step if the vowel sound is unknown because the vowel pattern is too developmentally advanced.

If it is a simpler vowel combination the child has stumbled on 3 or more times that it seems like they should know, make a note of where they are struggling and send your child’s teacher an e-mail so that the teacher can know where your child is struggling and adjust instruction.

• Early Grade 3 Readers and On

• Is the word one syllable?  Prompt the child to blend or to look at the vowel pattern.
• Is the word more than one syllable?  Use your thumb to help break the word into syllables.  Index cards also work well.

 Other Important Guidelines to Keep in Mind:  

Stay on level.  Make sure that the books you are reading with your child are not too hard.  It is important to stay on your child’s instructional level when it comes to oral reading practice because if a text is difficult and laborious for the child to read, they will become frustrated.  If your child is making 1-2 mistakes per every ten words, the text is too hard.

Get the right books. When trying to pick out books for your child, remember the five-finger rule as well.  Have your child read 100 words from a book they of their choosing and tell them to stick a finger up each time they come across a word they cannot figure out.  If the child raises more than five fingers, the book is too difficult.  Click here for help if your child insists on reading a book above their reading level.

Define words ahead of reading.  Sometimes, children will have to read texts in social studies and science with many difficult words, but if that science or social studies content is on level, then you will have to help the child learn the words.  In these cases, it helps to pull out all the difficult words to read and define them separately before trying to read them in the text.  This will help build comprehension of difficult subject matter because the child will have the knowledge beforehand and be able to read the text without getting interrupted by trying to both identify the word and figure out the meaning.

Practice irregular, high-frequency words.  Flash cards are a great way to practice the words that have to be memorized.  Parents can even make a word bank  (how to).  If there are particular words that your child is having trouble with, have them trace the letters of the word written on an index card two times will reading the letters out loud.  Then have them trace the letters of the word with their finger on the table while reading the letters they trace aloud (two times again).  Last, have them write the letters of the word in the air twice, again while reading the letters aloud as they write them.

Parents have to remember that reading instruction in school alone is not enough.  Practice is also necessary to help raise a successful reader.  Reading Horizons programs offer not only explicit and sequential phonics instruction, but also lots of guided opportunities for readers to use and refine their skills.  To learn more, click here >.

“I am confident that you will be more than pleased with the results. I have already received more than my money’s worth in seeing the success it has brought my daughter.”

- Michelle Reeder, Dubuque, Iowa

Centered on a young and fiercely independent Scottish princess named Merida, Brave is a truly refreshing tale.  Merida’s courage and determination to decide her own fate and the wisdom she learns to accept along the way are inspiring to anyone facing a defining decision in life, and it seems like it isn’t often that such a choice is absent from our plates.   The struggles and problems that Merida faces are realistic and relatable, and the movie has strong themes emphasizing the strength and value of family bonds, which came to mean even more by the end.  Merida’s Mother, Queen Elinor, had one line in the movie that I found to be particularly inspiring.  As Merida and her mother were having a disagreement, the queen tried using an ancient tale to help convey her message.  When Merida brushed the tale off as “just a legend,” Queen Elinor responded with, “Legends are lessons:  they ring with truth.”

That line got me to thinking – even though a lot of the best books are fiction, they still hold so much meaning within their pages.  Books are especially powerful at transporting the reader to a different place and perspective, and children love adventurous stories, especially when they are led by another kid.

With that in mind, here are some reading suggestions and tips on how parents can bring out the magic and help their children absorb the value in a story:

Books:  The Quiltmaker’s Gift or The Giving Tree

Themes:

• Letting go of greed and giving to those less fortunate
• The happiness that spreading kindness brings to your heart
• Appreciating that love sometimes means being selfless

After reading the book, a great way to bring the lesson to life would be to have your child look at their old clothing and toys and ask them if they could choose any that they would want to give away to a child who doesn’t have any toys.  Help your child take their donations down to a local Goodwill and let them know how much their kindness will mean to someone who needs it.

Book:  Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Themes:

• Looking forward to the future with a positive attitude
• Keeping a sense of adventure
• Acknowledging your own intelligence and capability

Creating a collage or coloring pictures that represent the hopes and dreams of your children would be a fun activity to follow these books.  When the pictures are finished, have them framed and hang them on the walls of you child’s bedroom so they will always remember the places their dreams can lead them.

Books:  You Are Special or The Story of Ferdinand

Themes:

• Recognizing value in diversity
• Being comfortable with being yourself
• Seeing value beyond physical appearances

Create an acrostic poem that represents all the qualities your child likes about himself/herself.  Write you child’s name vertically on a piece of paper and help them come up with one characteristic that begins with each letter in their name.

Books:  Where the Wild Things Are or The Chronicles of Narnia:  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Themes:

• Appreciating the values and comforts of home
• Imaginative and limitless thinking
• The hardships of growing up

Read these stories inside an elaborate blanket-fort to inspire the kind of imagination that these books are based on.  Go on a walk through the woods dressed as royalty (crowns, swords) and see what kind of “wild things” and adventures you find in your backyard kingdom.

Books:  Guess How Much I Love You or The Kissing Hand

Themes:

• The unconditional love of a parent
• How to help a child be brave when temporarily separated from home and loved ones (when going to school, going to summer camp, etc)

Both of these books make excellent bedtime stories.  Consider buying a copy of one of these books – or any book that is special for you and your child – and write all of the ways and reasons you love your child so that they will always be able to open that book up and be reminded, even at the times they are away from you.

If you are interested in helping your child become a better reader, check out Reading Horizons wonderful programs here >>

“I have nothing but the utmost praise for the program. My daughter’s teacher informed me that she had made leaps and bounds in her reading skills.”

–Angie Pate, Cambridge City, Indiana

So what is a parent to do?  Homeschool parents especially must consider the best ways to help their children learn to read since they are solely responsible for providing instruction.  There are a lot of ways that any parent (homeschool or not) can give their children the opportunity to become successful readers.

Here are few tips you can implement in your home:

1) Do not use force.  If you turn reading into a chore, just like cleaning that messy bedroom, it isn’t going to happen.  If you force a child to read, even if they comply, they are certainly not going to enjoy it.  Specifically something to avoid is punishment for not reading or – even worse – using reading as a punishment.

2) Mix it up.  If you find that it’s hard to keep your child’s attention when you are reading with them, try exposing them to different subject matter or perhaps even different languages (yes, music counts here).  Some children find factual and informative books about animals, geography, and engineering (think airplanes and trucks) interesting.  Add a few of those to your library.  Enrolling your child in an immersion program or tutoring lessons where they learn to read in another language has many other benefits aside from reading.  Learning to play an instrument is also a valuable use of time and music even offers some benefits in the way of reading skills.

3) Cut screen time.  Likely one of the best changes a parent can make when it comes to encouraging their child to choose to read in their spare time is to reduce the amount of television they watch or the time they spend online.  This idea is a bit of a double-edged sword though.  If you take away TV, Computer, and phone time completely (especially in the summer months) your kids will probably resent you.  Try setting up reasonable limitations and reduce the number of televisions you have in your home (Hey, you’ll save on electricity too!).  The first place to eliminate TV sets should be in your child’s bedroom.  Televisions in your child’s bedroom can be harmful to their development for many reasons.

4) Give up the guilt trips.  Making someone feel bad for not doing something is a surefire way to help them connect that activity with negative feelings and thus not EVER want to do it.  Guilt-tripping is never a good way to get someone to do what you want them to do.  In fact, it can be quite damaging to a relationship.  There are much better ways to motivate your children to read, so just throw away the guilt tactic for good.  Bottom line, don’t try and guilt your child into reading by complaining about how much money you have spent on unread books.

5) Get the right books.  Making sure your children understand the content that they are reading is more important than reading big, complicated novels.  Help your kids pick the right books by using The ABCs of Improved Reading.  If your child wants to tackle a larger book that is a bit out of their realm of comprehension, opt to read it with them so that you can answer any questions they might have.  An ambitious nature is definitely a trait worth encouraging!  By reading it together they will get to read what they want, you will get to bond with them, and their vocabulary and comprehension will benefit greatly from your guidance.

6) Offer opportunities.  As a parent, you really have to encourage your child to read.  There are a lot of positive ways to do this, such as by showing interest in what they’re reading by asking questions about the plot and characters, giving them lots of compliments on how much they have read and learned, and by providing them with lots of interesting books to read.  If you give your child a new and exciting book that you think they would enjoy each month, not only do they have access to fresh and appealing material, they also know that you care about them and are always thinking of them.

7) Practice engaged reading.  This tip is especially applicable to parents with children who have not yet learned to read or who are in the process of learning.  When you read with your child, talk and point to the words as you read them.  This draws your child’s attention to the word, helping to solidify their word recognition and spelling abilities.  Your children will always get more out of reading if you successfully engage their mind.  Another fun activity is to have kids pick out the letters on a page that are also in their name.  Older kids can pick out words that make the same sounds as the letters in their name.  Children also enjoy books that use lots of alliteration and rhymes (think Dr. Seuss).

8) Read between the lines too.  Be sure to discuss the story as you read it.  Ask your child what they would do if they were a character in a book.  Really go beyond the printed text by asking your children what they think a character is feeling or what they think will happen next. Also, a great way to help children understand the meaning of new words and ideas is by helping them connect the concept to an experience they have had.  For example, you could explain the meaning of “sadness” by using the way your child felt when the beloved family pet died or when they scraped their knee on the sidewalk as a reference.

9) Don’t forget the small stuff.  It may seem silly, but make sure your younger children know about the flow of a book.  Explain to them that we start books at the beginning and read to the end,  that we read text from left to right, and then from the top of the page to the bottom of the page.

Get a little silly.  Another detail that can make a big difference is to make reading fun by using different voices and tones for different characters, to make faces, to laugh, and to tickle.  Help your kids associate fond memories and positive feelings with reading.

It is important to keep in mind that no amount of tips will cure a learning or developmental disability.  In those cases, it is important to seek help.  A reading software program, such as those provided by Reading Horizons, might be something worth looking into.

“I am the mother of a nine-year-old third-grade boy. He attended regular public school through the end of second grade. He showed signs of dyslexia during that time, but the school did not recognize it or have any special program to teach reading to this type of child…We started this program with a first-grade reading level of 17 WPM on November 3. By December, he was reading at 50 WPM and changed to the second-grade level. On January 23, he read at 62 WPM on the second-grade level. Truly amazing!”

–Tracy Keith, Martinsburg, PA

The first in the latest children’s adventure series, Evertaster follows the curious undertakings of a picky eater who is fed up (quite literally) with his mother’s cooking.  Surely almost every parent knows firsthand the kind of lengths to which a choosy-child will go to ensure that their meals are “just so.”  But I’ll stop with the commentary and the puns so you can nibble on the novel (last one, I swear) yourself.

Here is a quick synopsis of Evertaster:

When eleven year-old Guster Johnsonville rejects his mother’s casserole for the umpteenth time, she takes him to the city of New Orleans to find him something to eat. There, in a dark, abandoned corner of the city, they meet a dying pastry maker who tells them of a legendary recipe called the Gastronomy of Peace — a recipe created hundreds of years ago, shrouded in secrecy, and sought after by connoisseurs everywhere.

So begins a perilous adventure that will take Guster, his clever sister Mariah, and the rest of the Johnsonvilles on an adventure to ancient ruins, faraway jungles and forgotten caves, where they discover that their search is more than just a quest to satisfy Guster’s cravings — it is a quest that could change humanity forever. 

So why should parents consider picking up this novel?  Experienced readers will love the creativity of the plot (yes, even you) and early readers will enjoy the imaginative and relatable pal they find in Guster.  Also, if you’re trying to raise a successful reader, there are a few things that you really should not compromise on.  Here is a basic summary:

1) You have to actually read with your children, especially while their fluency is first developing. Reading with your children is a practice that is helpful at any age really though, especially because comprehension of text is often something children lose out on without even knowing.

2) You have to encourage your child to read.  Encouraging your child can be done by offering verbal praise or by providing them with interesting books.

3) You have to be a model.  I know how busy life as a parent can get, but if you won’t find the time to read, do you really think your children will?  Invest your time in a book, read the newspaper, and consider making it a family habit to collectively or individually read at a certain time each evening.  You can only benefit from reading more and you can really lose out if you don’t.

Our company Curriculum Director Heidi Hyte is actually friends with the author of Evertaster, and she featured a review here on her English language learning blog, ESL Trail, as well.  If you’d like to learn more about Adam Glendon Sidwell or Evertaster, check out http://www.evertaster.com/.

Do you want to give your struggling reader the boost they need to be able to enjoy reading?  Even if your child is struggling with a learning disorder such as dyslexia or a development disorder such as autism, Reading Horizons can help by offering students a program that uses explicit, systematic, and sequential phonics instruction.  Check it out – you have nothing to lose and only reading levels to gain.

Summer has nearly arrived, and I can’t help but wonder…are parents excited to have their little cubs around the den more, or are they mourning the death of any free time / peace and quiet they enjoyed throughout the school year?  And how do parents that have chosen to homeschoool feel about the summertime?

Even though summer sentiments may vary, parents of any child with any type of educational background likely recognize that summer is a time when learning can truly be combined with fun.  Unfortunately, children often find themselves struggling to remember skills they learned before the summer break once they get back to school.  Reading, spelling, and math are the top areas in which children lose skills.  Summer is responsible for more than half of all learning discrepancies among students. 

This short video breaks down the ways in which summer break contributes to the achievement gap among students – especially between students from low-income and middle-income families:

Parents have a lot of opportunities to help their children maintain their skills throughout the summer, and a lot of these opportunities also provide great family-bonding time.  Here a few ways parents can keep kids engaged in learning during the summer:

• Reward for Reading.  You could use a reward system based off of the number of pages that your kids read throughout the summer. Small prizes could be awarded weekly, medium prizes monthly, and a grand prize could be awarded at the end of the summer to keep kids reading. See how this mom came up with an ingenious reading program “by using the competitive spirit among siblings.”

• Plan for the Curriculum. Make an appointment to visit your child’s school and meet with the teachers who will be teaching your child next year. This way, you can find out what students will be learning when they come back in the fall (Greek mythology or astronomy) and then help your children get ahead by reading books on upcoming learning topics or by visiting museums and planetariums.

• Library Access. Here’s a simple one – get your children library cards so that they have free access to a multitude of books. Local libraries usually offer reading lists and sponsor reading contests as well.

• Natural Learning. Take learning outside! Going on a hike provides plenty of opportunities for fun and learning. Families would have fun taking pictures of flowers and other wildlife and then going home to discover three interesting facts about each organism they photographed.

• Go to the Zoo. The zoo is a wonderfully-fun place that is already geared towards learning for children.  Allow your children to identify the animals instead of pointing them out.

• Cook Up Some Ideas. Make it a goal to cook with the kids a couple times a week (or more). Offer your child a little freedom and let them choose the recipes — this will get them excited.  Following a recipe is good practice for reading and comprehension, as well as for learning how to follow directions accurately.  Kids could practice their writing and spelling skills by making a grocery list.  Taking measurements could easily be turned into math practice, plus, it’s great for bonding!

• Bargain Hunting. Thrift stores and yard sales always seem to be exciting for children, and you can make hunting for cheap books an adventure!

• Math and Reading Worksheets. Especially for the days when you just don’t have the time you need, free printable math sheets and learning games are a great way to help sharpen and maintain math skills.  Here are some free reading worksheets and games as well.

• Put the “earn” in Learn.   Consider implementing a small allowance for your child. Offer a certain amount of money for tasks performed and then have your child add up what their total earnings are.

• Everyday, Read Together. This one is simple and yet so important – read with your children daily. Encouraging kids to read autonomously and silently is important, but have your children read aloud to you as well. You should even read to your children so that the kids get the chance to hear the language. Even 15 minutes will make a world of difference.

• Create Simple Opportunities to Learn Something New.  An example of a great way to build vocabulary would be to display a “word of the day” on the fridge.

• Let them Lead.  Let the children be the leader of learning during the summer since they don’t really get that control during the school year. You should set up the activities and then encourage your child to lead the way while you act as a gentle guide to nurture the knowledge.  For more ideas on adventures in learning for families, check out  Kids Off the Couch.

If you’re interested in learning more about how Reading Horizons can help your child become a better, more-fluent reader, check out our free Online Workshop trial. You’ll learn all about the program features and methodology.

“…Our daughter’s attitude towards reading and confidence have changed dramatically!  She used to dread having to read, and we dreaded making her.  Now she reads for FUN…” Continue reading >

-Beth Gundrum from Hillard, Ohio

No matter how you remember your days as a student, your attitude towards homework – especially reading – will affect the way your children learn.  Unless you are homeschooling, teachers are there to help your child learn and they can provide a multitude of tips for parents on how to stay involved and keep children learning.

Here a few things teachers would like their students’ parents to keep in mind:

Stay involved.  Unfortunately, teachers can’t be there after school to make sure homework and projects get done, and last I heard, the homework fairy retired.  This is where parents have a direct impact on their child’s education.  Parents have to actively enforce homework.  Ask your child what they’ve been working on in class.  A great way to start homework out on a positive note is by letting your child show off their reading, writing, and spelling skills to you.  Spending time reading with your child is so crucial to their development – ask them to read aloud to you, but make sure to do the same for them so they also get to hear the language.

Be a model.  Children are going to listen to what you have to say about their teachers and about school in general, so make sure you pass on the concept that education is important and deserves time and dedication.  If they see you reaching for a book in your spare time, they’ll likely form the same habit as they grow up.  More than anyone else – peers and teachers included – children are going to be impacted the most by their parents’ examples.  Keep a positive attitude about school.

Recognize and respect teachers.  It’s important to realize how much teachers are giving to help your child learn and grow.  Teachers are at school well before the first bell rings and long after the last.  Most teachers care a lot about being the best they can be, so make sure to give recognition and respect where it is deserved.

Communicate!  I thought this point deserved an exclamation point because it is a big one.  It is so important that parents attend parent-teacher conferences, but that is not enough.  Make sure to attend the open houses at your child’s school at the beginning of each year.  Personally introduce yourself to the teacher and let them know you are a parent who cares and wants to be involved.  Make sure to have the teacher’s e-mail address on file so that you can have a line of contact.  If you communicate well with your child’s teacher, you will stay directly involved in their development and progress.  Don’t be afraid to ask your child’s teacher for suggestions on what level of books your child should be reading and what books you should be reading together.  Teachers spend a lot of time helping your child learn, so they can offer great advice on reading techniques that will work for your individual child’s needs.

Involve your children.  While we’re on the topic of parent-teacher conferences, note that it is important to bring your child to these meetings as well, especially if they are secondary students.  Keeping children in the loop is important for a few reasons, mainly because it gives them a voice in their education.  Having them along also gives them a chance to see that you as a parent care about them and are involved, plus it makes them feel extra special when they get to see their teacher brag to you about all the good things they have been doing in class.

Don’t miss school!  This is another point that deserves an exclamation point.  Absences are a BIG problem.  Missing a day is less of a big deal than missing a week, but any absence should try to be avoided.  The problem with absences is that children miss their daily lessons and work, and then it is stressful for them to try and catch up on what they have missed fast so that they can understand what the rest of the class is learning.  It is so important to try and plan vacations around holidays and other times when schools have days off.  If your child is going to be absent, especially for vacations, talk and plan with teachers ahead of time so that 1) teachers know what to expect and 2) you two can work out a plan for your child to manage their homework load.  Bottom line – one of the fastest ways to put your child behind is to constantly pull them out of school.

Stay Organized.  So many children come to school without their homework because they left it on the kitchen table the night before.  Implement a pre-bedtime routine where kids get their backpacks ready for the next day.  Set up a tray in the kitchen where kids can leave important papers or graded homework assignments for you to look at as well.  Make it a habit and a routine that kids can count on to get to read with you before bedtime.  Their reading will progress and they will feel closer to you as you guys bond over a story.

Stay calm.    If a problem comes up at school, especially if your child is telling you about something that happened with a teacher or with another student, it is important to remember to stay calm and talk to the teacher first.  So many parents listen to their children talk about how “mean” a teacher is and then go straight to the principal to accuse the teacher of bullying.  Children are afraid of getting in trouble and will sometimes make things sound different to avoid punishment.  By all means, do not ever discount the importance of what your child is telling you, but for most problems, try approaching the teacher first in a non-attacking manner.  Don’t go to the principal with a problem unless you have already spoken to a teacher and have gotten the facts.  Teachers want your child’s success too.

Don’t be invasive.  Don’t ambush teachers at school expecting to meet with them right that very moment, especially if school is still going on.  Emergencies are obvious exceptions, but always do your best to try and schedule meetings or even phone calls to talk about your child.  E-mail is such a great way to get in touch with teachers, especially since it allows them to respond in their spare moments.  If your child is struggling or if you are concerned about something perhaps set up a check-in schedule with a teacher based on how often you would like to meet and what their schedule allows.

Accept mistakes.  When it comes to homework assignments, don’t expect perfection from your children.  As a parent, you want your child to do the best they can, but don’t allow yourself to end up doing the work for them just for the sake of getting a better grade.  If they have a big project, encourage them to take the lead.  If the end result is a poster board with pictures glued on a little bit crooked, make sure to let your children know you are proud that they gave it their all, even if it is not perfect by adult standards. If it seems like your child is making a lot of mistakes on their homework, encourage them to ask their teacher for help the next day.  This way, teachers know where students are struggling and where they need to direct their focus.

Thank teachers.  Last but not least, make sure to thank teachers.  If a teacher did a great job with your child and even went above-and-beyond (as most teachers do), let them know that.  A little positive reinforcement can go a long way.  You could even let the principal know about times when a teacher did something really great.

If you would like to learn more specifically about what you need to know to help your child become a successful reader, check out our free e-book and get reading!

Find Reading Help and Ideas on Pinterest

Reading Horizons recently joined that social media phenom, Pinterest.

And we’ve done it with abandon – sharing pins and boards like Education Quotes, Education Reform, Lesson Ideas, Humor for the Classroom, and Literacy Help.

What makes Pinterest an excellent reading resource for parents and homeschool families is that it provides another community of like-minded people who share ideas and interests in a very visual and captivating way.

So What Is Pinterest Exactly?

Pinterest is a digital (virtual) bulletin board that allows you and your friends to share links, images, recipes, books, and other clever ideas that you find inspiring or interesting.

After naming individual bulletin boards like The Reading Corner, Homework Help or Home School Ideas – you simply start pinning, commenting, or liking images and ideas from a general listing that other Pinners and those you follow may have submitted to Pinterest.

It really is fun, entertaining and a source of inspiring ideas. Participation requires an invitation so If you’d like one, comment here and we’ll send one to you right away.

If you’re already a Pinterest afficianado, please follow Reading Horizons boards – we update them all of the time.

The Lorax, Dr. Seuss, and Reading

February 29, the NEA kicked off the “Read Across America Tour – Driven by Mazda,” as children were visited by the Lorax himself.

The nation’s largest reading event of 2012 will visit 20 cities on the East and West coasts, and stop at public schools and Mazda dealerships to bring the joy of reading to thousands of public school students and help to raise $1 million for public school libraries.

The Read Across America Program is the NEA’s signature literacy effort to help children develop a love of reading during their early years.

Studies show that students who enjoy reading perform better in school, boast higher test scores, develop comprehension proficiency and improve analytical skills faster and better than their peers who read less frequently.

The “Read Across America Tour” will focus on sharing the story of Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax” with students, raise awareness for public schools in need and provide an opportunity for consumers to show that they care – as the Lorax teaches us – “a whole awful lot.”

For each test drive of a Mazda vehicle between Feb. 21 and April 2, Mazda will donate $25 towards public school libraries. Administered by the NEA Foundation, this donation will provide vital funds to help the nation’s struggling public school libraries.

To participate, consumers must first obtain a certificate online and take it to any Mazda dealer in the U.S. The dealer will then validate the certificate upon completion of the test drive. Funds raised through the test drives will be donated to the NEA Foundation and will be awarded to public school libraries nationwide through an application process in the spring.

Bonus!

My friend, Rachael Herrscher, founder of Today’s Mama, recently posted Four Lorax Apps for children. They’re hilarious and educational at the same time. I especially like the Lorax Garden app for the iPhone. Children can create and send postcards to friends and family. Think spelling, writing, and reading.

Are you part of the Lorax craze? Have you read this Dr. Seuss book in your school?