Supporting parents and children to read at home

Jolee graff

In today’s technology driven world, where screens often dominate, reading with children at home can sometimes be overlooked. Reading together at home plays an immeasurable role in a child’s language development and emotional health. As teachers, we have a role to play in promoting and assisting parents and students to cultivate a reading culture within their homes. This post explores strategies to support educators in providing tools and perspectives to empower parents to engage in reading with their children at home.

Research-based resources such as Reading Rockets and Colorín Colorado indicate that regular reading sessions between parents and children greatly contribute to students’ growth. These sites offer evidence-based activities and advice. For example, they provide resources to support parents to integrate multiple languages and use activities to engage children in reading.

Reading experiences at home, such as activities like reading comprehension games, can encourage parents and kids to engage in deep conversations around text. Additionally, reading aloud to children can promote the development of critical social and emotional abilities, including empathy, emotional understanding, and conflict resolution.

Reading aloud to children goes beyond just sharing stories; it’s a potent way for parents and kids to connect and grow closer. Reading together can provide a way to support children in exchanging ideas, learning to name feelings, and experiencing new words through text. Families who read together create an atmosphere where children love to read. This reading pays off throughout their education.