Gotta Look at This! ~ Great Starting Point
These are just a few of the articles, lists, and resources to help your child in the early years.
Copies of "Tips for Parents About Reading" are free from Northwest Regional Education Laboratory's Comprehensive Center. To request a copy, please call Bracken Reed at (503) 275-9481. It is also online as a PDF (797K, 26pp) at http://www.nwrac.org/pub/tipsforparents.pdf. Sorry, this isn't a quicky; there is much to learn! This is 23 pages of "Information and Ideas for Helping Children Through Grade Eight Succeed with Reading." Be sure to read the "Thirteen Understandings About Reading" on pages 6-7 then go to the age-appropriate information for your child. Note the things to do and favorite books for each age group. There is a glossary of reading terms beginning on page 20 and additional books kids love on page 22.
Here is a great list to check out for your beginning reader: "The 100 Most Frequent List of Words in Books for Beginning Readers" from Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning: http://www.mcrel.org/PDF/Literacy/4006CM_100words.pdf [pdf].
For Preschool through grade 3, look at "Put Reading First: Helping Your Child Learn to Read: A Parent Guide". This short publication by the Partnership for Reading (National Institute for Literacy, The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the U.S. Department of Education) has two practical areas:
"At school you should see teachers...," and "At home you can help by..."
Download at http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/reading_first2.html.
The National Parent Information Network (NPIN) provides a virtual library you will want to check out (referenced in the MCEC Links site). We selected one particular reference, "Helping Your Child Become a Reader" that offers lots of information for parents in small bites: http://npin.org/handcrafted2.asp. Designed mainly for use by parents with children to age 6.
A must read for parents of elementary children, "How is My Child Doing in School? Ten research-based ways to find out," by Ronald Dietel is an article published in the March 2001 issue of the National PTA's Our Children Magazine.
http://www.cse.ucla.edu/products/parents/cresst_Ten_Tips_edited15.doc
"What parents need to know about Reading and Writing by grade: Literacy in kindergarten through third grade," is a colorful, informative booklet focusing on reading and writing, the key subjects for success in school. Find out what to do with your child 20-30 minutes a day, books to read aloud to your child at grades K-3, and other tips to raise a reader. Order it at 888-361-6233 or online at http://www.ncee.org/store/products/detail.jsp?setProtocol=true&id=1.
Hunting for lists of books for your reader? The American Library Association lists of award-winning books and other resources is a great place to begin. You'll even find list for teens!
http://www.ala.org/parents/index.html
Ready*Set*Read for Families, available through the National Parent Information Network Virtual Library, is a great reference with activities for toddlers through preschool including the American Library Association's suggested book list for young readers.
http://npin.org/handcrafted2.asp
