Four Important Things Parents Can Do To Support Literacy

1. Put books in your home.

• • Set up a home library.
  • Give books as gifts.
  • Visit the library.

2. Read to and with your child at least 20 minutes each day.

• • If you do this, your child will have read one million words and have an increased vocabulary of 1,000 words.

3. Keep track of your child’s progress in school.
   • Ask at what grade level your child is reading (above or below)
   • Take advantage of school resources/programs available to help build your child’s literacy skills.

4. Be a good reading role model.
   • When your child sees you reading a variety of materials for a variety of reasons, he or she will see reading as important to daily life.
   • When your child sees that you read for recreation, he or she will see reading as a fun, worthwhile activity worthy of an adult’s time and attention.