THE READING BILL OF RIGHTS

A child's right to read....

Today we live in a world full of digital information. Yet reading has never been more important, for we know that for young people the ability to read is the door opener to the 21st century: to hold a job, to understand their world, and to know themselves. That is why we are asking you to join our Global Literacy Call to Action: We call this campaign: “Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life.” We are asking parents, teachers, school and business leaders, and the general public to support their children’s right to read for a better life in the digital world of the 21st century.

Here is what we believe about reading in the second decade of the 21st century.
We call this The Reading Bill of Rights:

WE BELIEVE that literacy – the ability to read, write and understand – is the birthright of every child in the world as well as the pathway to succeed in school and to realize a complete life. Young people need to read nonfiction for information to understand their world, and literature for imagination to understand themselves.

WE BELIEVE that the massive amounts of digital information and images now transmitted daily make it even more important for a young person to know how to analyze, interpret and understand information, to separate fact from opinion, and to have deep respect for logical thinking.

WE BELIEVE that literature and drama, whether on printed pages, screens, on stage or film, help young people experience the great stories of emotion and action, leading to a deeper understanding of what it means to be truly human. Without this literacy heritage, life lacks meaning, coherence and soul.

WE BELIEVE every child has a right to a “textual lineage” – a reading and writing autobiography which shows that who you are is in part developed through the stories and information you’ve experienced. This textual lineage will enable all young people to have a reading and writing identity which helps them understand who they are and how they can make their lives better. In short, “You Are What You Read.”

WE BELIEVE every child should have access to books, magazines, newspapers, computers, e-readers, and text on phones. Whatever way you read, you will need to figure out what the facts are or what the story tells you. No matter how and where you get access to ideas, you will need the skills of reading to understand yourself and your world.

WE BELIEVE that reading widely and reading fluently will give children the reading stamina to deal with more challenging texts they will meet in college, at work and in everyday life. And every child should be able to choose and own the books they want to read, for that choice builds literacy confidence – the ability to read, write and speak about what they know, what they feel, and who they are.

WE BELIEVE that every child has the right to a great teacher who will help them learn to read and love to read. Children need teachers who provide intentional, focused instruction to give young people the skills to read and interpret information or understand great stories they will encounter throughout life.

WE BELIEVE that in the 21st century, the ability to read is necessary not only to succeed but to survive—for the ability to understand information and the power of stories is the key to a life of purpose and meaning.

Courtesy Scholastic @ http://www.scholastic.com/.

Bedtime Reading with Children Starting To Read by Themselves.

Sharing a story at bedtime is a chance for you and your child to relax and enjoy a special moment together. Children will benefit immensely if you read aloud with them, even once they have started to read themselves. They will learn new words that are beyond their reading ability and will love the time you spend with them. Try to read the books brought home from school and maybe borrow some from the library.

Make it something to look forward to – and remember to have fun!

What books should I choose?

• Share books with rhyme, rhythm and repetition – hearing rhyming words will encourage them to join in. Let a child say words out loud and leave space in the story for them to fill in.
• If your child brings a reading book home from school, encourage them to share their book with you first, so that you can help with any words they find difficult.
• Involve your child by letting them choose the book - don’t worry if you think it’s too young!
• You can sometimes limit the choice, so that you get a bit of variety too!
• Start to share exciting books with chapters – continue reading aloud even when they can read by themselves as this helps them learn new words.
• Children love to revisit stories they enjoyed when they were younger. This is a sure sign that they have enjoyed you reading aloud to them and they may have a go at reading some of them to you.

Where should we read?

• You don’t have to be in bed as long as you can cuddle up together. Being physically close is still important as children get older. Try to make sure there aren’t any distractions — best to switch off the TV.

How do I go about it?

• Share fiction books, poetry and books about things that excite them like trains, diggers, fairies. Point to the pictures and talk about them.
• You don’t always have to ‘read’ a book. Pictures are very important and help to tell the story.
• Point to the pictures and talk about them. Discussing the book encourages your child to become the story teller. Try asking questions like: ‘Can you tell me what happened to …’ ‘What do you think will happen next?’ ‘How do you think she feels about that?’ ‘Tell me what’s happening in this picture….’
• Let them ask questions - it’s a great way for children to learn to understand what’s happening in a story – an essential part of learning to read.

It’s great to relate a story to real life: ‘Do you remember when we saw a dog like that…?’

What else could I do?

• Try telling a story. Children love old classics like fairy tales, or you could make one up together.
• If a child keeps asking you to read the same book again and again, celebrate! You have a child who loves books and who is on the way to becoming an enthusiastic reader.

OCTOBER READING GUIDE

Top Tips For Bedtime Reading With Babies

Sharing a story at bedtime is a chance for you and your baby to relax and enjoy a special moment together. As part of a bedtime routine they will love to cuddle and hear your voice and will know that it’s time to wind down ready for sleep. Just ten minutes a day will help you bond and also greatly help their development.

Make it something to look forward to – and enjoy this time together!

What books should I choose?

• Choose bright and touchy-feely books with different textures and colours. Encourage your baby to touch the book as you read and talk about the pictures – they’ll like the look and feel of it. At this stage babies enjoy play­ing with their books!

• Choose books with rhyme, rhythm and repetition – hearing rhyming words will help them later when they learn to read. Say the words a little more slowly than you usually talk to help your baby hear the sounds you are making.

Where should we read?

• Why not start at bathtime? Share bath books and rhymes together – try Row Row Your Boat, 5 Little Ducks or make one up about splashing.

• Snuggle up together, somewhere cosy. It doesn’t have to be in bed and it’s best to switch off the TV.

How do I go about it?

• Read your baby’s favourite books over and over again. Try to use funny voices and make silly noises. Your child loves the sound of your voice so don’t worry and enjoy it together.

• Singing or saying rhymes to your baby is another great way to end the day and will sooth your baby for a great night’s sleep. Why not try Twinkle Twinkle Little Star – a great favourite.

What else could I do?

• You don’t always have to ‘read’ a book. Pictures are also very important and help to tell the story. Ask questions about the pictures or the characters, like ‘Can you see the cow?’ ‘Does the bear look tired?’ At this age you’ll be giving the answers yourself but you will be helping your baby to learn lots of new words.