• Encourage your child to read to you and have them read you their writing.
  • Discuss stories you’ve shared together.
  • Share with your child’s teacher writing samples from home and what you notice about their reading.
  • Encourage your child to talk about their reading and writing.
  • Encourage your child to write down their thoughts.
  • Find ways to support your child’s favorite activities through reading and writing.  (i.e. Read the book together before going to see the movie, then write about which one was better and why)
  • Visit the library regularly.
  • Make sure your child has books available for them to read at home.
  • Make places for your child to read at home.
  • Let your child see you reading (books, newspapers, mail, directions, recipes, e-mail…) and writing (grocery lists, notes, letters, e-mail…)
  • When sharing a book together ask higher-level thinking questions.
    *How did you know that was going to happen…?
    *If you were ____ what would you do, or what would you be thinking…?
    *What do you think will happen next?  Why?
    *Why do you think…?
    *Who is your favorite character?  Why?
    *Every story has a problem.  What was the problem in our story and how was it solved?

 

Additional Information: Source: Raising a Reader, 2017