[Literacy] Encouraging Lifelong Readers

Good reading skills are essential for community success, growth and enjoyment. Starting kids early to not just be able to read, but to love reading, is one of the great gifts you can give as parents, relatives and friends. Here are some tips that are handy.

Keep print around the house.The more books, papers, labels and objects children can find around the house in English and other languages, the more they have to practice. Be sure to keep books on diverse subjects for children to explore.

Read out loud to children daily. Make it an interactive process, and don't be afraid to read them some of their favorites. But also be sure to encourage them to explore new books too and to teach them that reading can be for pleasure as well as for learning.

Encourage open-ended questions and critical thinking. Helping a child to think things through and put their thoughts into words makes a difference. Encourage them to imagine other possibilities and to question what they're reading, and to form new ideas.

There are many other great ideas out there! What are some of yours?