“Don’t touch that button yet” versus “And then what happened in the story?”: A parent’s choice.
May 23, 2012
Studies that aim to answer the question of whether a child gets a different experience from a book than an e-book are just getting under way. Studies of how such a device affects the development of young children typically take three to five years.
When a parent reads a physical book to a child, the child tends to take away more of the actual content, because the conversation between parent and child is most likely about what’s happening in the story. A recent study found that children using electronic console books that have buttons, tended to learn navigation, such as what different buttons do. Instead of talking about the content parents said things like “don’t touch that yet.”
Bookshelves as home decoration.
May 18, 2012
“I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.” A. Quindlen I made the deal with my sons: I supply the books, and they supply the bookshelves.
Make room for conversation & create opportunities to talk face-to face with your children.
May 6, 2012
I am an enthusiast for conversation and I firmly believe we need to make room for it by creating opportunities to talk face-to face with our children. Good conversations are where children acquire the vocabulary they need to become good readers. Talking with children is how we best prepare them to enter school, ready to […]
A Vitamin For the Spirit.
April 25, 2012
Take poetry off the mantle and celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day. All too often poetry is saved for occasions—happy or sad. I advocate taking poetry out of this exalted position. Instead, treat poetry as if it were a vitamin for the spirit. Poetry calls for being shared. J.M. Barrie Second star to the right […]
Reading for pleasure is a luxury we can all afford.
April 12, 2012
April 12 is Drop Everything and Read Day. Beverly Cleary’s birthday and D.E.A.R. are celebrated on the same day for good reason. Ramona Quimby enjoys D.E.A.R.in Cleary’s book, Ramona Quimby, Age 8. The day is meant to celebrate, remind and encourage families to make reading together a family priority on a daily basis. Reading for […]
