How to Help Children Develop Good Reading Skills

On Monday, Oct. 10, Lainie Powell from The Lovett School will visit our Lower School. She has been our coach, mentor and instructor as we continue to implement the Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop programs at Darlington.

She is planning a full day at school and will be demonstrating some Reader’s Workshop lessons for the faculty. Lainie will be in every classroom to see the teachers at work with this program. She will conclude her day with the teachers by planning the literacy skills for the remainder of the school year and to set obtainable goals for the 2011-12 school year.

Just about every faculty members has visited The Lovett School to see the Reader’s Workshop Program in action. This is the sixth year that Lovett has used this program to promote literacy at the elementary school level.

Reading is the key to success for students of all ages. Children who are good readers find it easier to do well in other subjects, because so much of learning depends on the ability to read. Outside school, reading can open doors to a world of pleasure and enjoyment. Reading is the source of all information.

Here are some suggestions that can assist parents with helping students with reading at home:

Read aloud with your child frequently
Select books that your child loves
When reading to your child, get them to ask questions
Make sure that child understands letter sounds
Encourage dads, granddads and older brothers to read to the younger children in the family
Don’t make it easy to watch TV
Help reluctant readers get into the reading habit
Make frequent trips to the library
Help our children make sense of what they are reading
Start a children-parent book club
Make reading an important family activity
Make sure your children see you reading
Make reading part of your family traditions

Of all things that parents can ever do to encourage school success and achievement, none can compare in importance to helping children develop good reading skills!