How Can I Help my Child with Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening?
- Stay in touch with your child's teachers.
- Check your child's book-bag every day.
- Read books together.
- Tell stories.
- Listen to books on CD or podcast
- Listen to the radio. Talk about what is happening on the radio.
- Go for "coffee" together and read a free newspaper. Talk about the stories that interest you.
- Discuss characters from books, movies, TV shows and video games: what is the character like? What is their mission? Do they encounter any problems? Do they change or develop? Do they reach their goal?
- Recite nursery rhymes and poems
- Make up silly poems ("I want some juice because I'm as thirsty as a moose!)
- Sing songs
- Learn the lyrics to a country song, ballad or Christmas carol
- Notice when words rhyme
- Notice patterns in words
- Notice print in the community: road signs, restaurant signs, labels at the grocery store
- Play games in the car (I spy, "categories", Mad-Libs, "going on a picnic")
- Play games at the supper table "What am I thinking of?" (20 questions)
- Go to the library to play and read
- Attend a free puppet show, movie or performance at the library
- Keep a vacation journal or diary
- Ask your child to write lists: shopping lists, wish lists
- Draw with your child; talk about what is happening in the drawings
- Role-play and make-believe
- Notice the differences in things: "Autumn is different than Summer because (have a contest to see who can name the most differences)