LifeSpan Child Care

Title: Grab your hat and read with the Cat in the Hat on Monday, March 3, 2014,
On March 3rd, in honor of Dr. Seuss’s 110th Birthday, we celebrate the 17th annual Read Across America Day. The Seussical celebration kicks off a week of reading across the nation. LifeSpan School and Day Care is no different. This entire week, we celebrate not only Dr. Seuss, but enhancing literacy in young minds. Although this week is very special and near and dear to our hearts, we cannot forget to encourage literacy EVERY DAY!
Literacy and reading is an important stepping stone in the development of a young mind. Here at LifeSpan, we encourage literacy in many different and creative ways. Whether it be a simple read aloud, or a Dr. Seuss Sing a-long; we use these tools to broaden the horizon in the young minds we care for..
Read to me international is an educational initiative that encourages “10 a day.” “10 a day” refers to 10 minutes of uninterrupted reading to your child; EVERY DAY. This time spent with your child, not only helps encourage literacy, but allows us to have open ended conversation and spend quality time with our children.
According to Jim Trelease, author of The New Read-Aloud Handbook, reading aloud to children benefits them in numerous ways. Listed below are only some of the benefits a child receives from being read to:
• Reading aloud provides a positive reading role model.
• Reading aloud creates a bond between the reader and the child.
• Reading aloud improves the child’s listening comprehension.
• Reading aloud expands the child’s attention span.
• Reading aloud helps develop the child’s language skills.
• Reading aloud helps develop critical thinking skills and effective communication skills.
• Reading aloud exposes the child to rich vocabulary.
• Reading aloud exposes the child to good grammar.
• Reading aloud stimulates the child’s imagination, creativity and curiosity.
• Reading aloud establishes the reading-writing connection.
• Reading aloud provides the child with a lot of background knowledge. The more a child is read to now, the more he/she will learn for use in reading later.
• Reading aloud nurtures the child’s emotional development, raising his/her self esteem.
• Reading aloud is FUN, providing the child with the pleasures of reading!
Below you will find some very helpful links. Not only are these links that contain multiple activities and resources, but they are also resources that our teachers at LifeSpan use in their lesson plan and curriculum to encourage literacy:
Read to me International:
http://www.readtomeintl.org/
Read Across America:
http://www.nea.org/grants/886.htm
20 Apps that help teach Elementary School Reading:
http://www.teachthought.com/apps-2/20-ipad-apps-to-teach-elementary-reading/
So grab a book, and let’s get reading.