s and to help build their vocabulary. It points to which types of books are appropriate for different ages from babies to school age. Next, they stress the importance of parents being receptive and supportive to their childÆs literacy endeavors.
Strickland and Morrow (531) recommend also that parents take every advantage to point out the written language to children such as on labels, in newspapers and magazines, on flyers, and all the other everyday things they come in contact with, to make them more aware of language and its uses. They recommend regular visits to the library, attending the various childrenÆs programs offered there, and taking out books to read to the children at home. The writers also suggest that parents set an example for their children by making sure they see them reading newspapers, books, and magazines, and extend this to showing the practical side of reading by, for instance, having the child help them make something using a recipe.
It is also suggested that since children are interested in what their parents do, if possible, they should bring home work-related printed materials and read them with the child so that they get to see another use for the printed word (531). Finally, the article suggests that crayons, paper and other writing materials be on hand and that parents encourage their childrenÆs attempts at writing. Writing notes to children once they can read may be another way to promote literacy.
The article is full of useful hints for parents to encourage their children in the pursuit of literacy. The article is really aimed at parents and not at teachers, except in that it gives teachers some pointers as to how to encourage parents to help develop their childrenÆs literacy skills. The advice given here is for developing literacy in the home, and is probably of more use to the parents of children who are less well developed in literacy skills when they start school because th...