Learning to read is a significant academic milestone that lays the foundation for future schooling. Parents, teachers, and communities can work together to support literacy among all children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds or with developmental challenges. The following evidence-backed efforts are an excellent place to start.
Make the Library a Friendly Place
Libraries are amazing places filled with free resources. The most obvious, of course, is books, but you can also find the following:
- DVDs and Blu-rays
- CDs
- Magazines
Patrons can also access audiobooks and ebooks through apps and access computers, printers, fax machines, and other technology on-site.
Additionally, libraries are often hubs for community services. They offer story time for kids, free classes, author visits, board games, art, summer programs, and more. Communities can boost the next generation’s interest in literature by fully funding libraries and bookmobiles.
Encourage Parents To Communicate With Teachers
Communication between teachers and families is vital for helping kids who fall behind. Ideally, parents should be active in their children’s learning through conversations and activities:
- Cooking
- Cultural practices
- Play
When teachers and parents communicate frequently, parents can align their home practice with school lessons. They can also provide extra practice in areas where their children struggle. Most importantly, both parties can identify signs of developmental challenges, such as sensory processing issues. Early diagnosis using the (SPM™-2) Sensory Processing Measure, Second Edition and SPM-2 Quick Tips™ or another reputable assessment ensures kids receive the proper educational assistance.
Frame Reading as a Fun Activity
Kids often find school reading dull. While required reading has its merits, forcing children to read things they have no interest in can kill a love of literature. One way to combat this is to frame reading as a fun activity.
One way to do so is to help kids find topics that interest them. If fiction doesn’t draw your little ones, help them look for nonfiction books covering exciting subjects:
- Space exploration
- Dinosaurs
- Insects
- Animals
When kids express excitement about what they’ve read, take the time to discuss it with them. Doing so demonstrates the value of learning.
Provide Resources To Under-Served Families
Not everyone has access to educational resources due to financial hardship, lack of nearby libraries or bookstores, and other factors. Communities can remedy this with book drives, book fairs, and other efforts to distribute reading materials to under-served families.
Schools also play a major role by providing access to developmental assessments. Low-income families may not have the money to initiate the evaluation through a private practice; schools can close this gap by administering (ABAS®-3) Adaptive Behavior Assessment System, Third Edition and other assessments to kids exhibiting signs of developmental difficulties.
Identify Developmental and Learning Disorders
For over 75 years, WPS has created diagnostic assessments to help psychological professionals. Today, it develops and distributes evaluations to identify autism, sensory processing disorders, and other developmental disorders. Contact us today at 800-648-8857 or go online to learn more.
