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How can you help your child learn to read?
Support language development because writing is "talk written down."- Describe things you see and hear, and give your child a chance to do the same.
- Talk to your child about your life and your parents' lives as well. Give your child the gift of your family's heritage by telling and retelling personal stories about when you were a child. Record older family members as they tell stories about their childhood.
- Talk about the future....what you hope to do, what your family can do, what dreams your child may wish to share.
Foster a love of books.
- Read to your child at bedtime every day. This simple ritual doesn't have to take a long time, yet creates memories that will yield benefits for a lifetime. (I know, every day is a high standard. Don't beat yourself up if you can't manage that. But please try. For your child's sake, and your grandchildren's sake. It can be the best memory your child has of time spent with you, and when he or she has children, your grandchildren will benefit from the effort you made to read to their mom or dad.)
- Get a public library card for yourself and your child, and spend time there together.
- Let your child see you reading for pleasure.
- Be sure your child has a reading light beside the bed and a large, firm pillow for reading in bed.
- Give books as gifts.