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UAB CREATIVE LEARNING CENTER [MORE]

“Mom, I’m bored.” This is the mantra of school-aged children around the nation. Parents retort with “did you finish your homework or don’t you have a book to be reading?” The resounding answer, “No!” Parents complain of not being able to get their children to read for leisure or relaxation. Parents, in a time when “test scores and accountability” are buzz words, the importance of being literate is at an all-time high. The perception of literacy varies from one generation to the next and from one culture or community to the next.

How can parents and other caring adults encourage literate behaviors among children in the early grades? By linking reading to their existing interests! Parents often dismiss comic books, pre-teen magazines or email as “junk”, but these same items can be used to encourage reading behaviors. Here are a few strategies for encouraging literate behaviors in your school-aged child:

• Have them discuss their interest and list them.
• Invite them to checkout literature at a local bookstore or library that relates to their interest like comic books,
  instruction manuals for trading cards games, Yugio, Dragon Ball-Z or Pokemon.
• Invite them to checkout websites related to their favorite characters like Arthur, Junie B. Jones, Little Bill, Wilhelmina and Harry Potter. (Of course with parental guidance!)
• Invite them to email or write the authors or creators of characters or games, the authors usually respond with a personal email or letter.
• Have a theme party! Allow children to bring character trading cards and battle or duel. Learn from your children; have them to write the rules so that you can follow along as they play!

Research tells us that children comprehend information more effectively when their interest are heightened or aroused. Let me give you an example. Can you visualize your favorite characters and scenes as you read your Stephen King, Tom Clancy or Terry Macmillan novel? Brain research and psychologist tell us that information stored in your memory is better accessed or retrieved when the five senses are aroused and when visualization occurs during reading. This type of sensory visualization increases comprehension.

Therefore, if you want to increase your child’s memory and comprehension, communicate with your child and recognize their interests!

If you want more resources for these strategies, check with your school librarian or the manager at your local bookstore!

Internet Resources

• www.mamamedia.com
• www.starfall.com
• www.readinglady.com
• www.barnesandnobles.com
• www.yahooligans.com
• www.amazon.com
• www.ala.org

Biographical Information
Ursula Thomas-Fitts, Ed.D. is an assistant professor of early childhood education and researcher at Mercer University. She is a former classroom teacher and founder of F.I.G. Tree Educational Consulting. She has eleven years of experience working in rural and urban school systems. A native of Montgomery, Alabama, she presently lives in the Atlanta metro area.