·         Encourage reading as a free-time activity. It's difficult for reading to compete with TV and video games. Bring along a book or magazine anytime your child has to wait, such as at a doctor's office. Always try to fit in reading!

·         Tell family stories about yourself, your child’s grandparents, and other relatives.

·         Ask your child to read aloud what he or she has written for school. Be an enthusiastic listener.

·         Do storytelling on the go. Take turns adding to a story the two of you make up while riding in a car or bus. Try making the story funny.

·         Talk to your child about your favorite books from childhood, and offer to read them.

·         Make sure that your home has lots of reading materials that are appropriate for your child. Keep books, magazines and newspapers in the house

·         Find ways to encourage your child to pick up another book. Introduce him or her to a series like Harry Potter or to a second book by a favorite author, or ask the librarian for additional suggestions.

·         Let your child see you use a dictionary.

·         Keep reading to your child even after he or she has learned to read. By reading stories that will interest your child but that are above his or her reading level, you can stretch your child’s understanding and keep alive the magic of shared reading.

·         Subscribe to a magazine for your child. He or she will love receiving mail!

·         Explain how related words have similar spellings and meanings. Show how a word like knowledge, for example, relates to a word like know.

·         Write your own stories! Even a child that cannot write yet can dictate a story to you. Keep a journal of these stories. They will bring back very special memories for you and your child.

·         Teach your child some "mind tricks". Show your child how to summarize a story in a few sentences or how to make predictions about what might happen next. Both strategies help a child comprehend and remember. To check your child’s understanding of what she is reading, occasionally pause and ask your child questions about the characters and events in the story.

·         Fill a box with drawing and writing materials. Find opportunities for your child to write, such as the shopping list, thank you notes, or birthday cards.

·         Encourage your child when writing. Remind him or her that writing involves several steps. No one does it perfectly the first time.

·         Take your kids to the library, help them get their own library card, read with them, and buy them books as gifts. Have a favorite place for books in your home or, even better, put books everywhere.

·         Talk about everyday activities to build your child's background knowledge, which is crucial to listening and reading comprehension.

·         Read different types of books to expose your child to different types of writing. Some kids, especially boys, prefer nonfiction books.

·         Be patient. Give your child time to find the words he or she wants to use.

·         When your child makes a mistake, gently point out the letters he or she overlooked or read incorrectly. After your child has stopped to correct a word he has read, have him go back and reread the entire sentence from the beginning to make sure he understands what the sentence is saying.

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