Today is Read Across America Day! The National Education Association is building a nation of readers through its signature program, NEA’s Read Across America. Now in its 18th year, this year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources.
Ever wonder why your kids homework is to read for 20 minutes a day? That number isn’t as random as you might think.
Reading is like food for your brain. Your brain actually develops as you feed it with the experience of reading. It improves listening skills and academic success. For every year that a person spends reading (either independently or being read aloud to), his/her lifetime earning potential goes up considerably. For a time investment of approximately 87 hours a year (20 minutes a day for 5 days a week), you can increase your child’s ability to support him or herself in the future considerably.
Here are some tips from the National Education Association that will help promote reading for your children.
- Set a good example as a reader – let kids see you reading every day.
- Get a subscription in his or her name to an age-appropriate magazine for your child. When relatives and others ask for gift ideas, suggest magazine subscriptions, books, or a book store gift certificate.
- Make reading fun – a time that you and your children look forward to spending together.
- Check out The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease (New York: Penguin Books, 1995). It’s loaded with fun tips and reading recommendations.
- Keep lots of books, magazines, and newspapers around the house. Visit the library often and shop for books at garage and yard sales, swap meets, and used bookstores.
- Don’t fret if “Captain Underpants” has captivated your child rather than Robinson Crusoe. The important thing: he’s reading! Encourage it and he’s likely to move on to more sophisticated titles as he gets older.
What tips can you share that help promote reading in your household?
