(NAPSA)—National studies indicate that 40 percent of children entering kindergarten are not prepared. To help improve those statis- familiarize children with their use and importance. Model Reading. Let your child catch you reading. Read the mail, newspapers and recipes out loud so that your child knowsthat reading is a useful skill. Make Reading A Family Value. As President and Mrs. Bush suggest, put reading first— before TV and sports activities. Visit the library as often as you do the park. Build A Vocabulary of 13 New Words A Day. From kindergarten on, children need to learn tics, Children’s World and Scho- lastic have teamed up to develop a school-to-home literacy program. “One of the most effective forms of parent involvementis helping to create more book-reading opportunities in the home,” says Judsen Culbreth, editorial director of Scholastic. “So we worked with Children’s World Learning Centers to create a program that makes it easy for parents to connect to the school curriculum and participate in developingtheir child’s literacy about 5,000 words a year, that’s 18 skills.” Every three months, families enrolled at Children’s World will receive age-appropriate Scholastic books and literacy activities direct to their home as a gift. In addition, the centers will receive the same shipments of books and will integrate the books into classroom curriculum. Teachers receive a teacher’s guide with each shipment with activity ideas to enrich thestories. Once each month, each center will hold a “Children’s World of Reading Day,” where children bring in one of their new Scholastic books to review in the classroom. “We know that it takes more than schools and teachers to assure academic success,” says Jeff Wheatley, president of Children’s World. “Parent involvement andliteracy skills are essential to learning. In fact, by first grade, literacy is a key predictor of academic achievement in the 11th grade. It’s critical, therefore, that From kindergarten on, chil- dren need to learn about 5,000 words a year. literacy begin in early childhood.” Experts suggest the following ways to encourage reading: Read Early. The years from birth to age eight are the most important period of literacy development. Reading aloud and using interactive language are the most important activities that build a foundationofliteracy. * Read Often. Reading stimulates brain development in important ways. Experts suggest 20 minutes every day. Read Over and Over Again. Children learn something new every time they experience a book.It often takes four readings for a child to master the subject matter. Showcase Books At Home. Homes where books are present words a day. They need everyday words and academic words that will help them comprehend science, math, history and geography. Steal Reading Time From TV. The typical television show uses a vocabularylist of about 400 simple words. That doesn’t provide the rich vocabulary children need for school. Make Reading Fun.A parent’s job is to make reading so enjoyable that a child will want to read all life long. Make it a warm, shared experience that connects love and learning. Parents provide the cozy lap, the good book and the attention. For more information on Chil- dren’s World visit the Web site at www.childrensworld.com. Children’s World Learning Centers is a leading provider of quality infant, toddler, preschool, prekindergarten and school-age learning programs in the United States. The company has been providing quality early childhood and elementary educational programs since 1969.
