Resources and Links

Supporting literacy at home

Literacy Connections: Especially for parents

This site includes many helpful articles for parents on topics such as books on a budget, tips for discussing stories at home, recommended book lists, and much more.
http://www.literacyconnections.com/Parents.html

Chapter 1 of Jim Trelease's The Read-Aloud Handbook

Download the first chapter of Trelease's classic book from ths site:
http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/rah_chpt1_p1.html

Reading is Fundamental
http://www.rif.org/parents/

Check out tips and activity ideas to help you motivate your kids to read. This website includes information and suggestion targeted for different age groups.

Family Literacy Center at Indiana University
www.indiana.edu/~eric_rec/www/indexfr.html
This site contains the on-line magazine, Parents and Children Together Online. This colorful, easy-to-read magazine includes original stories, poems, and articles for parents. Parents and children are also invited to submit their stories and poems for the magazine. Many other resources can be downloaded for free from this site.

Between the Lions http://pbskids.org/lions/

PBS's award-winning television series has been proven to contribute to the literacy skills of children ages 4-7. The companion web site offers parents an expert-approved curriculum of interactive stories and games to help kids successfully learn to read and write.

Questions from Parents by Susan Fleming, Lesley University http://www.lesley.edu/academic_centers/hood/currents/v2n1/fleming.html

• What type of books can you recommend for children who are just learning to read at age six?
• I have a third grade child who has no desire to read and write. What can I do to get him interested in reading and writing? We have a computer and the appropriate level of educational software for children, but it is not exciting to him either. Any suggestions?

Misunderstood Minds http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/index.html
The PBS documentary Misunderstood Minds shines a spotlight on this painful subject, following the stories of five families as, together with experts, they try to solve the mysteries of their children's learning difficulties. The site includes profiles of the students in the documentary, as well as sections on Attention, Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. Interactive activities, called Experience Firsthand, are designed to give site visitors a sense of what it may be like for a student struggling with a basic skill.

Helping with Reading
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/readingstrats.html

An Alphabet for Parents http://www.ncte.org/parents/tips/111033.htm
from Parent to Parent: Our Children, Their Literacy by Gerald R. Oglan, Averil Elcombe (National Council of Teachers of English, 2001)

Online resources and bibliographies

Great Websites for Kids from the American Library Association
www.ala.org/parentspage
The American Library Association has a webpage for parents, which includes "How to Raise a Reader" and "Good Books for Kids" sections.

GuysRead.com
www.guysread.com
GUYS READ is a web-based literacy program created by award-winning children's author Jon Scieszka to help boys find stuff they like to read. Use this site to find texts that guys really enjoy reading, start your own GUYS READ chapter, and help guys read.

Planet Esmé
www.planetesme.com
Esmé Raji Codell has been a teacher, librarian, and "certified readiologist" for 16 years. She has developed a website that is full of ideas about good books to read. She also includes an excellent list of websites related to children's literature. She also keeps a daily blog about children's literature. Check it out at http://www.planetesme.blogspot.com/.

KidsReads.com
http://www.kidsreads.com/index.asp
Kidsreads is the best place on the web for kids to find info about their favorite books, series and authors. Reviews of the newest titles, interviews with the coolest authors and special features on great books are our specialties. And for even more reading fun, you will find trivia games, word scrambles and awesome contests!