ELM believes that involving families in their child’s early education is vital for literacy development in young children. Parental involvement not only shapes development during the initial years of life, but also during the adolescent and adult years. Positive parental influence needs to begin long before children enter into formal schooling arrangements. Aspects of literacy that are likely to be influenced by the family environment include print awareness, knowledge of text, vocabulary and reading as a source of enjoyment.
Parents who interact regularly with children and who believe their children are interested in reading are more likely to provide abundant print-related experiences. These positive literacy attitudes and expectations are likely to have a lasting effect on a child's attitude about learning and literacy.
One way to accomplish this is for the family to create a literacy-rich home environment that encourages learning. Activities that parents might do would include:
singing, reading signs and menus aloud, spending time playing educational word games and memory games, reading daily to the children.
Other web sites with family involvement ideas:
www.colorincolorado.org
www.makereadingfirst.com
www.hubbardscupboard.org
www.illinoisearlylearning.org
For more information:
Contact: Pat Morales
pmorales2@hccfl.edu
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