The NCPL has joined the Read Aloud 15 MINUTES National Campaign. Read Aloud 15 MINUTES is a non-profit organization that is working to make reading aloud every day for at least 15 minutes the new standard in child care. They believe that when every child is read aloud to for 15 minutes every day from birth, more children will be ready to learn when they enter kindergarten, more children will have the literacy skills needed to succeed in school, and more children will be prepared for a productive and meaningful life after school.
Look for NCPL Facebook posts throughout the month of March in partnership with the Read Aloud 15 MINUTES National Campaign. For more information, visit: http://www.readaloud.org/.
Start today. Start now. Read Aloud 15 MINUTES, today and everyday, and grow your child’s brain.
Here are some tips to help you as you begin your reading journey with your child:
Children learn best when they are actively engaged in an activity. Choose books that are engaging visually, elicit making sounds and solicit interaction. In other words, high value books that engage the eyes, ears, the whole body.
Above all, choose books you like.
Use plenty of expression when reading. Change your tone of voice, adjust your pace to fit the story, slow down and lower your voice, speed up a bit and talk louder. Read slowly enough for your child to create mental pictures of what he/she is hearing. Be animated with your voice, face and body as you make the characters “come alive.”
As you read, run your finger along each word in the title and author’s name. Point to the cover illustration and ask a question, i.e. “What animal is this?” Periodically, point to repeated words or phrases and the illustrations while you are reading. During repeat readings, occasionally stop at a key word or phrase and allow your child to provide the word or phrase. Continue to ask questions as you progress through the book, i.e. “How many squirrels are in the tree? What color is the flower?”. Once your child is familiar with a story, ask him/her to tell you what happens next. This technique improves narrative skills (retelling). Retelling skills help later with reading comprehension.
The NCPL children’s department offers a wide variety of flannel board stories, Puppet Pals and Disney Pals to aid them in retelling a story. The library also provides a substantial collection of early literacy materials. Please ask at the Children’s desk and we will be delighted to help you find these items.
Happy reading,
Carolyn
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