Simple ways to encourage learning
Years of research show clearly that children are more likely to succeed in learning when their families actively support them. When you and other family members read with your children, help them with homework, talk with their teachers, and participate in school or other learning activities, you give your children a tremendous advantage.
Other than helping your children to grow up healthy and happy, the most important thing that you can do for them is to help them develop their reading skills. It is no exaggeration to say that how well children learn to read affects directly not only how successful they are in school but how well they do throughout their lives. When children learn to read, they have the key that opens the door to all the knowledge of the world. Without this key, many children are left behind.
Here are some simple things you can do at home to help your child read, learn, and
succeed.
1.Let your child know you believe in him or her. Tell your child often
that you believe in him or her. Let your child hear, starting at a very young age, that
you believe in his or her ability to do well.
2.Talk, sing, and read with your child. Talk, sing, and read together, as often as you can! Read to preschool children at least 20-30 minutes a day. Have older children read to you. Reading is the most basic of the basic skills. Make reading a natural part of your child's daily routine. See some suggestions on ways to read with your child.
3. Keep good books, magazines and newspapers in the house.Get a library card and use it. Make it easy, both for adults and children, to find something interesting to read.
4. Add to your children's enjoyment of reading by discussing each book they read. It helps them learn to express themselves. You'll enjoy the conversations, too.
5. Make sure your children see you read for at least 20-30 minutes a day. Remember, you're their primary role model. If you have difficulty reading, tell your children stories. Hearing about your family history and your experiences will help your children develop an appreciation of language, storytelling and the past.
6. Encourage reading fluency by having your child read and reread familiar books. It can also be helpful to have your child read a short passage over several times while you record the time it takes. Children often enjoy seeing if they can improve their time from one reading to the next, and the repeated reading helps to establish a habit of fluent reading.
7. Involve your extended family. Ask all the people who care about your child - aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, godparents, babysitters, neighbors, and friends - to encourage your child to do well in school. Give each of them a copy of the reading tips and activities pages.
8.Limit your child's TV watching and monitor what your child watches. Try to control how much TV your child watches, whether he or she is with you, with a babysitter, or home alone. Children need to hear and talk to adults in order to build their language skills. Research shows that excessive television viewing is directly linked to poor school performance. Inappropriate television programming can also adversely affect your child's behavior. Read more television tips.
9.Have a positive attitude toward school and learning. Take an interest in how your child is doing at school so he or she will believe that learning is important. If you can, find ways to get involved at your child's school.
10.Make sure your child does homework. Look over your child's homework
each night. Ask your child to explain what he or she is learning. Make sure that
assignments are completed. Set aside time each evening for homework. Provide your children
with a regular, quiet place where they can do homework. Make it easy for them to find a
place to work. Set up a place with few distractions, but close enough so they can ask you
questions. Check out this page for more tips on helping your child with homework.
11. Find out about after-school and summer programs in your community. Help interest your child in learning outside of the school day. Give your child the
opportunity to explore new skills and participate in art and music programs.
