This article looks at how the family can contribute to the literacy of young children, and how teachers can continue the early process begun at home to help children learn in what is to them a more natural setting - the classroom becomes more like the home learning setting (Strickland and Morrow, 530-531). The article looks at factors in the home which contribute to childhood literacy, what teachers can do to promote this, what parents can do, and ends up giving a list of things teachers can share with parents that may help encourage children to read and write.
The article begins by reviewing what studies have shown about families where children already know how to read and write before they enter school (530). It points out that parents of early readers read to their children and are responsive to their childrenÆs attempts to read. They were usually readers themselves, and began reading to their children while they were still infants. Reading and writing materials are always available for children in such families, and reading and writing are highly prized.
The article then suggests that teachers continue the family-like setting in the classroom to further the childrenÆs literacy skills (530). They suggest using drawing, drama, and oral discussions to help children further develop their language abilities. Making literacy a pleasant activity rather than a learning chore is suggested.
For the parents, Strickland and Morrow (530) suggest that teachers impress upon parents the importance of interacting with their children while they are learning to read and write and point out that this is critical for the children to learn about language and its usage. The rest of the article is taken up with a description of seven things they believe teachers may want to tell parents so they can help their children become literate. The first point recommends that parents read to children regularly to familiarize them with book...