(…) This year, Read Across America Day will be celebrated on March 3, with more than 45 million participating from coast to coast.

NEA’s Read Across America offers the following tips to encourage children to read:

• Start Early. Begin sharing books with children during infancy, even as young as 6 weeks old. Also, encourage young children to talk about favorite books and to add new story lines and endings to stories they already know.

• Speak Up. Children who report that their parents encourage them to read are more likely to read a higher volume of books than those who say that their parents leave it up to them.

• Stock Up. Have a supply of newspapers, magazines and books around the house to persuade children to read instead of turning on the television or playing a video game.

• Build Skills. When you read aloud, stop to discuss unfamiliar words and pause to ask questions to help your child predict what is coming next. Ask children about characters in stories and why characters might act the way they do.

• Create Habits. Make reading a daily exercise, and set and reward reading goals. Build enthusiasm by providing a special treat when a reading target is reached. Positive reinforcement can help boost motivation. (…)

Source: North American Press Syndicate, NY
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