Leading the Way to Literacy

Parents reading with their children is one of the most important stepping stones to adult literacy, yet many parents neglect to set aside the time for this critical activity that helps kids learn new words and sentence structures, ask questions, and make connections, all while sharing the joy of family togetherness. From WGBH's acclaimed Between the Lions series, this brief, practical video suggests that sharing family histories and stories and creating a family album together can initiate hours of questions and answers between children and parents, while singing simple songs, examining illustrated books, being aware of public signs on outings, and even helping kids decorate their rooms can all stimulate language development. Of course, the video devotes considerable time to encouraging parents to introduce their children to the educational, fun-filled world of the public library, where a library card can (hopefully) promote senses of independence and responsibility, and new technologies can help children solve problems and find information. Teachers, reading specialists, and librarians cover a lot of ground in a short time here, and the appealing families profiled should inspire other parents to set aside time to help children discover the lifelong benefits of reading. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)