>> GOOD AFTERNOON, WELCOME TO OUR SECOND SEMINAR FOR THE MONTH OF THE YOUNG CHILD. TODAY WE ARE GOING TO EXPLORE ENCOURAGING CHILDREN TO READ. THANK YOU FOR THOSE JOINING US HERE IN BUILDING 31. PLEASE REMEMBER TO USE YOUR MICROPHONE IF YOU NEED TO. AND LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF BEFORE I GET TOO FAR INTO THE INTRODUCTION. MY NAME IS TONYA LEE, I P AM THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE NIH CHILD CARE PROGRAM. THE LUNCH AN LEARN SEMINARS ARE SPONSORED BY THE NIH CHILD CARE BOARD AND OFFICE OF RESEARCH SERVICES. SO AGAIN, WELCOME THOSE THAT ARE JOINING US IN 31. THOSE JOINING US THROUGH THE WEBCAST PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE HAND OUTS, THERE'S A LINK BELOW WHERE YOUR ACCESS YOUR WEBCAST AND PRINT THOSE OUT. THERE'S A WONDERFUL RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. TODAY WE HAVE HAZEL OSBORN JOINING US BACK WHO HAS BEEN A FREQUENT PRESENTER HERE WITH THE LUNCH AND LEARN PARENTING SEMINAR. WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE HAZEL BACK TO TALK ABOUT SOME STRATEGIES AND WAYS TO THE GET CHILDREN TO LOVE TO READ WHICH IS A WONDERFUL LIFE SKILL THAT WILL SERVE YOUR CHILDREN WELL THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE SPAN SO I'LL TURN IT OVER NOW TO HAZEL. >> THANKS SO MUCH, TONYA. IT'S DELIGHTFUL TO BE BACK HERE AGAIN AND ESPECIALLY PRESENTING ON SUCH A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC. READING IS THE GATEWAY TO ALL THE DIRECTIONS THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO IN LIFE AND THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT BODY OF RESEARCH THAT SHOWS IF YOU DON'T LEARN TO READ AND BECOME A HAPPY READER AS A CHILD IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO CATCH UP OR MAKE UP FOR THAT WHEN YOU'RE OLE OAR. SO -- OLDER. SO ENCOURAGING CHILDREN TO READ IS SO SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT. MY PARTICULAR INTEREST IN THIS COMES TO SOME EXTENT FROM MY BACKGROUND. MY DEGREES ARE IN PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY AN ANTHROPOLOGY AND I HAVE A GRADUATE DEGREE FOCUSED ON WORK LIFE ISSUE RESEARCH. MANY OF MY CLIENTS AB PROJECTS HAVE BEEN AROUND -- AND PROJECTS HAVE BEEN AROUND LITERACY. I AM INVOLVED IN A FOUR YEAR PROJECT ON BILINGUAL LITERACY AS WELL AS USING LIBRARY RESOURCES SO IN ADDITION TO A MOM OF THREE, I HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS PROFESSIONALLY. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO COVER TODAY HAS TO DO WITH UNDERSTANDING WHY READING IS IMPORTANT AND UNDERSTANDING HOW TO ENCOURAGE A LOVE OF READING IN YOUR CHILD AND HOW TO GET OVER ANY OBSTACLES THAT THEY MAYBE DEALING WITH. LET ME GET SPECIFIC ABOUT BENEFITS WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON. WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO BEGIN WITH. FIRST OF ALL, WHEN YOU READ WITH YOUR CHILD IT CREATES A NURTURING BOND. AND ACTUALLY WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU BEGIN READING TO YOUR CHILD AT OR BEFORE THE AGE OF SIX MONTHS AND PARENTS ARE OFTEN SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT. WELL, WHY DO WE START THEM SO YOUNG? THEY CERTAINLY AREN'T GOING TO RECOGNIZE WORDS OR LETTERS AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE BUT THE FACT IS THAT THAT WONDERFUL COZY EXPERIENCE OF SITTING IN YOUR LAP, BEING HELD AND LOOKING AT SOMETHING TOGETHER, THAT CREATES THAT NURTURING BOND AND THE KIND OF BOOKS WE RECOMMEND FOR INFANTS HAS TO DO WITH HELPING THEM CONNECT WHAT THEY SEE ON A PAGE WITH A FEELING THAT IS A POSITIVE FEELING. INFANTS PICK UP A LOT OF INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE FROM READING OR BEING READ TO AS WELL. SO THAT NURTURING BOND IS WHAT WE'RE GOING FOR AND KEEPING THAT IN MIND, WHEN YOU READ WITH YOUR CHILD WHETHER YOUR CHILD IS AN INFANT, OR 12 OR EVEN OLDER THAN THAT, YOU WANT THAT NURTURING FEELING TO BE GOING ON. YOU WANT THEM TO FEEL HAPPY AND SETTLED, YOU DON'T WANT TO FORCE IT ON THEM, YOU WANT IT TO BE SOMETHING THEY COME TO EEGERLY. ANOTHER BENEFIT OF READING IS WHAT IT DOES TO BUILD THEIR LANGUAGE SKILLS. MOST CHILDREN LEARN LANGUAGE NOT FROM READING A WORD IN SCHOOL AND LOOKING IT UP IN THE DICTIONARY. THEY LEARN THE MEANING OF WORDS IN CONTEXT AND USUALLY THROUGH SPOKEN LANGUAGE. SO WHEN YOU READ TO THEM, YOU'RE TEACHING THEM VOCABULARY THAT MAYBE THEY MAY NOT HEAR IN DAY TO DAY CONVERSATION. IN FACT, LIBRARIANS RECOMMEND YOU SEEK BOOKS THAT HAVE A FEW NEW WORDS FOR YOUR CHILD AND THERE'S A RULE OF THUMB IF YOUR CHILD IS IN SCHOOL. THAT THEY SHOULD BE READING BOOKS THAT HAVE AROUND 1 TO 3 NEW WORDS ON EACH PAGE. IF YOUR CHILD HAS GOTTEN A BOOK OUT OF THE LIBRARY AND THERE ARE MORE THAN THREE WORDS ON THE PAGE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS THAT'S TOO ADVANCED FOR THEM. BUT WE WANT THEM TO BE A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGED. SO IF YOU'RE A PARENT OF A SCHOOL AGE CHILD BE LOOKING FOR THOSE BOOKS THAT HAVE A FEW NEW WORDS IN THEM. OF O COURSE THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN LITERACY, THE ABILITY TO READ, AND THE ABILITY TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL. AND OF COURSE LATER IN YOUR CAREER. I DON'T THINK I NEED TO SELL PARENTS ON THE IDEA THAT READING HELPS CHILDREN BE SUCCESSFUL. READING IS AN ESSENTIAL LIFE SKILL. BUT THE EARLIER CHILDREN ARE READ TO AND THE MORE THEY ENJOY READING, THE BETTER THEY DO AS WELL. SO THIS IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN GET KIDS EXCITED ABOUT READING. THIS LAST POINT IS A VERY IMPORTANT ONE. ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE AWARE OF SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WITH CHILDREN WATCHING A LOT OF O TV OR SPENDING TIME ONLINE OR PLAYING ELECTRONIC GAMES OF A VARIETY OR ANOTHER. CHILDREN IN OUR -- IN THIS GENERATION DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THE ATTENTION SPAN THAT CHILDREN EVEN 10, 15 YEARS AGO DID. A LOT OF TIME IS SPENT LOOKING AT MOVING OBJECTS OR LOOKING AT SCENES THAT CHANGE EVERY COUPLE OF SECONDS. IF YOU WATCH TV WITH YOUR CHILD, JUST TIME HOW LONG ONE SCENE IS ON THE SCRIEN, IT'S USUALLY LESS THAN 3 SECONDS. WITH READING THE CHILD IS LISTENING TO THE STO STORY, LOOKING AT THE PICTURE AT THE PAGE SPHOR FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND EVEN A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND THAT HELPS BUILD THEIR ATTENTION SPAN. THE OTHER THING THAT'S GREAT ABOUT A STORY, IT'S THE SAME THEME GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE STORY, WHETHER IT'S A CHAPTER BOOK, MAYBE AN INFANT BOOK WITH THREE OR FOUR PAGES. THAT BUILDS THAT ABILITY TO FOCUS AND PAY ATTENTION. IN YOUR CHILD GETS TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITHOUT THAT ABILITY, CHANCES ARE THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET SIDETRACKED INTO A PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES. IT'S NOT THAT THEY HAVE THAT DISABILITY, IT'S JUST THEY HAVE NOT BUILT THAT SKILL YET. SO ANOTHER REASON WHY READING IS SO IMPORTANT. THERE'S MORE TOO. READING IS A GREAT WAY TO HELP CHILDREN MANAGE FEELINGS. WHEN A CHILD STARTS TO FEEL UPSET OR ANGRY, SAY A YOUNG CHILD MAYBE TWO OR THREE YEARS OLD, THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE THE LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE HOW THEY'RE FEELING EITHER TO YOU OR TO THEMSELVES. THE WIDER THEIR VOCABULARY BECOMES, AND THE MORE NUANCES THEY BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND, THE MORE THEY'RE ABLE TO CRITICALLY THINK HOW THEY FEEL. BY THE TIME YOUR CHILD IS FOUR OR FIVE THEY CAN DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN FEELING MAYBE SUPER ANGRY AN FEELING ANOWED. THEY WILL LEARN THAT FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF READING. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE MIND IS STIMULATED IN SO MANY WAYS BY WHAT WE READ AND WITH CHILDREN ESPECIALLY THEY'RE RIPE THEIR RIPE IMAGINATION NEEDS TO BE SEEDED BY WHAT THEY READ. SO WHAT YOU GIVE THEM TO READ MATTERS. THEY GET CURIOUS ABOUT NEW THING, THEY WANT TO LEARN MORE. THE THINGS THEY LEARN WILL HELP THEM SOCIALLY EMOTIONALLY, ACADEMICALLY AND JUST IN TERMS OF DEALING WITH THE WORLD THEY LIVE N. CULTURALLY AND SO FORTH. LOTS OF GREAT THINGS ABOUT READING. I LIKE TO SAY TO PARENTS THIS STORY BOOK IS THE WINDOW TO MOZART DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS. TO GET WHERE YOU WANT TO GO EVENTUALLY YOU HAVE TO START WITH THE LITTLE BOOKS. NOW, I SEE THAT WE'RE REALLY FILLING UP IN HERE SO I WANT TO INTERRUPT BEFORE WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND PASS AROUND SOME GREAT RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR FREE AND YOU HAVE INFORMATION THAT WILL GET YOU TO THESE RESOURCES AS WELL. THIS IS HELPING YOUR CHILD BECOME A READER, ALSO AVAILABLE IN SPANISH. A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. THEN ALSO SOME AGE-SPECIFIC RESOURCES. SO I WILL PASS THESE TO MY LEFT AND HOPE THAT EVERYBODY GETS A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THEM. THANK YOU. IN TALKING ABOUT RESOURCES I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO POINT SOMETHING OUT IN YOUR PACKET YOU'RE GOING TO FIND ON THE SECOND TO LAST PAGE. THE HEADING STARTS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. YOU CAN SEE THERE THAT YOU CAN GET A COPY OF THESE WONDERFUL PUBLICATIONS, EITHER ONLINE, CALLED EDPUBS OR YOU CAN ORDER BY MAIL OR YOU CAN CALL IN YOUR ORDER. PLEASE BY ALL MEANS GET THIS WONDERFUL RESOURCE. THERE ARE MANY OTHER RESOURCES LISTED IN YOUR PACKET TOO AND I'M GOING TO DISCUSS AS MANY AS I CAN GET TO DEPENDING HOW OUR TIME GOES TODAY. BRVE I CONTINUE FURTHER -- BEFORE I CONTINUE FURTHER I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ANY QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF WHY READING IS SO IMPORTANT. IF YOU DO HAVE A QUESTION PLEASE PUSH THE BUTTON ON YOUR MICROPHONE SINCE WE'RE RECORDING THE SESSION. YES. >> I WAS/-- O I'M CURIOUS, CAN SOMEONE -- HOW EASY IS IT FOR SOMEONE TO GET CALLED UP IF THEY FALL BEHIND? IS IT -- I'M TALKING ABOUT THE WHOLE SPAN OF TIME FROM THE TODDLER TO WAY UP TO ALL THE WAY UP TO EDUCATION PROCESS. IF SOMEONE GETS BEHIND HOW REALISTIC AND EASY IS IT FOR THEM TO GET CAUGHT UP? >> IS THIS PERSON PAST THE AGE OF PUBERTY? >> YES. >> IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A SLOW HAUL BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT'S NOT WORTH IT. THERE ARE A COUPLE OFu O DIFFERENT THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND, IF YOU HAVE A -- MAYBE AN OLDER CHILD OR ANOTHER FAMILY HEB WHO NEVER REALLY GOT QUITE ALL THE WAY THERE WITH COMFORT IN READING, THE FIRST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS A DIAGNOSTIC. WHAT HAS BEEN THE PROBLEM? WAS IT SOME INSUFFICIENCY IN EDUCATION OR PERHAPS UNDIAGNOSED COMPREHENSION ISSUE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST STOP. TO GET THE BEST RESULT YOU WANT TO FIND SOMEBODY WHO WITH CAN WORK ONE ON ONE WITH THIS PERSON FULLY QUALIFIED TO DO REMEDIAL LITERACY EDUCATION. THERE ARE LOTS OF TECHNIQUES THAT CAN BE USED. IT CAN BE VERY FRUITFUL IN THE END, HOPEFULLY WE HAVE AN ADULT WHO IS FULLY COMPETENT READING THE PAPER ON THE INTERNET, FUNCTIONING ON THEIR JOB. THAT WOULD BE THE BEST APPROACH TO USE. AND DEPENDING ON THEIR AGE AND HOW MUCH FREE TIME THEY HAVE, IT MIGHT TAKE A COUPLE OF YEARS, PERHAPS LONGER THAN THAT DEPENNING HOW BIG THE GAP IS. MY MOTHER IN HER 80s VOLUNTEERS WITH A LITERACY PROGRAM THAT SERVES ADULTS THAT NEVER LEARNED TO READ. SHE FINDS IF THEY'RE REALLY COMMITTED TO IT THEY CAN MAKE AMAZING PROGRESS BUT THE STUMBLING BLOCK IS THESE PEOPLE HAVE JOBS. THEY HAVE TO FIT THIS IN AROUND THE REST OF THEIR LIFE SO THE BEST TIME TO INTERVENE IF THERE'S A DELAY IS WHILE THE PERSON IS STILL IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. YOU CAN TURN YOUR MIC OFF NOW UNLESS YOU HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. >> IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM, DOES THAT INCLUDE ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH COLLEGE? >> ABSOLUTELY. HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE OR GRAD SCHOOL THE INFORMATION THE FIRST RESOURCE YOU GO TO TO GET THE SERVICES THAT I MENTIONED. I WOULD LIKE TO GO ON NOW TALK ABOUT THE GIFT OF READING. GREAT WAYS TO GET KIDS EXCITED ABOUT READING. WHAT WE OFTEN FIND IS THAT THERE ARE TWO VULNERABLE TIMES IN A CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT WHEN THEY WILL LOSE A LITTLE INTEREST IN READING. ONE IS WHEN THEY'RE 7 OR 8 YEARS OLD. AT THIS POINT IF THE CHILD SUSPECT ONE OF THOSE KIDS THAT CATCHES ON QUICKLY TO THE IDEA OF READING AND UNDERSTANDING, IF THEY'RE STILL STRUGGLING THEY'RE LIKE I DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST NOT INTERESTED, NOT EXCITED, THEY WANT TO GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY OR WATCH TV OR SOMETHING. THE OTHER VULNERABLE TIME IS PUBERTY YEARS, 13, 14, 15 WHEN PHYSICAL CHANGES DISTRACT CHILDREN FROM READING. SO THESE TECHNIQUES CAN HELP. ESPECIALLY WITH THE YOUNGER CHILD. GIVING YOUR CHILD BOOKS AS GIFTS IS A WONFUL WAY TO GET THEM EXCITED. IF YOU CONSULT THEIR TEACHER OR THE SCHOOL LIBRARIAN OR THE CHILD HIMSELF ANT WHAT BOOKS THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, THAT WILL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. WE'RE GOING TO LET THEM PICK THE TOPIC THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE INTEREST. BY THE WAY, THAT BOOK, THAT GIFT CAN BE IN THE FORM OF A REAL PAPER AND INK BOOK OR IT CAN BE AN ELECTRONIC BOOK. WE KNOW OUR KIDS LOVE ELECTRONICS. A KINDLE OR A NOOK CAN BE KIND OF A SEGUE INTO READING FOR A CHILD WHO IS NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN PICKING UP A BOOK. THE OTHER THING IS TAKE THE JUNK OUT OF YOUR CHILD'S ROOM, THE TOYS AND DISTRACTING THINGS THAT KEEP THEM AWAKE AND MAKE THEIR BEDROOM JUST A BOOK AND MAYBE STUFFED TOY ZONE. WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BED THEY'RE NOT STIMULATED BY LEG GOES AB ELECTRONIC TOYS AND ALL THAT STUFF THAT IS LESS IMPORTANT MAYBE BUT THEY HAVE A COMMON ENVIRONMENT FOCUSED ON READING AND ALLOW THEM, THIS IS THE DIRTY TRICK BUT IT WORKS, GUARANTEED. ESPECIALLY A CHILD OVER SIX YEARS OLD. PUT THEM TO BED EARLIER THAN USUAL AND THEY'LL COMPLAIN BUT AFTER A DAYS YOU CAN SAY WELL YOU NEED TO GO TO BED EARLY BUT I GUESS YOU CAN READ FOR HALF AN HOUR OR O 45 MINUTES. I TRUCKED MY MIDDLE DAUGHTER INTO LOVING READING BY DOING THAT. AN BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, THEY'LL BE GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE HARRY POTTER SERIES THAT WAY. SO REALLY GOOD STRATEGY. USE BOOKS AS A REWARD IS A GREAT THING TOO, WE TELL PEOPLE DON'T REWARD YOUR CHILD FOR GOOD GRADES, WE SHOULD PRAISE THE EFFORT NOT THE ACHIEVEMENT BUT CELEBRATING BY GOING OUT)—„ TO BOOKSTORE AN PICKING OUT A BOOK OR AMAZON.COM OR WHATEVER WEBSITE YOU LIKE, LETTING THEM PICK A BOOK, THAT'S EXCITING FOR THEM TOO. AN AT THE SAME TIME WHEN YOU GIVE GIFTS TO OTHER PEOPLE LET IT BE A BOOK. I REMEMBER WHEN MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER WAS INVITED TO A BIRTHDAY PARTY AND I I INSISTED THE GIFT TO HER FRIEND BE A BOOK BECAUSE I KNEW THE CHILD WAS STRUGGLING. AND THE FRIEND WAS IT EARLY CONFUSED BY INTRIGUED. YOU GAVE ME A BOOK? IT'S ABOUT A PRINCESS, YOU KNOW, THEN SHE WAS OFF AN RUNNING. SO IF BOOKS BECOME PART OF YOUR CHILD'S LIFE CURRENCY, THERE ARE A LOT MORE INTERESTING. I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH TOO THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF YOUR CURRENCY TOO IN YOUR LIFE. DO THEY SEE MOM AND DAD READING THE PAPER, READING MAGAZINE, READING BOOKS OR ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE TV OR INSTANT MESSAGING WHICH IS KIND OF A STEP DOWN. OTHER THINGS THAT CAN CHILD EXCITED ABOUT ACTIVITIES IS TO DO THINGS TOGETHER. THESE IDEAS WITH CUTE AN FUN AND AIMED AT EARLY ELEMENTARY AGE MAP, FINDING A MAP OF THE U.S., WHERE DO WE LIVE, DO WHERE DOES GRANDMA LIVE, THAT KIND OF THING JUST RIGHT IN THE PAPER OR ONLINE. MAYBE FINDING SOMEONE YOUR CHILD WORSHIP, MAYBE LADY GAGA OR A SPORTS FIGURE. INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE THEY LIVE, AND THEN GET INTO THE MORE SPECIFICS THOSE GAMES CAN BE FUN. IF YOUR CHILD IS A LITTLE OLD OAR, I'M TALKING GRADE 4 UP THROUGH GRADE 9, HAVE THEM FIND PLACES ON A MAP AND GIVE YOU DIRECTIONS. HAVE THEM NAVIGATE AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT IN A HURRY BECAUSE YOU MIGHT GET LOST. THOSE SKILLS CAN BUILD AN INTEREST IN READING TOO. CHILDREN NOW DO NOT LEARN HOW TO USE A MAP OR ATLAS. THIS IS PROBABLY A GOOD TIME TO DROP IN A LITTLE GENDER INFORMATION ABOUT READING TOO. WHAT KINDS OF RESEARCH OR KNOWLEDGE OR LITERACY MATERIAL ARE CHILDREN INTERESTED IN? THIS IS A NOT A UNIVERSAL RULE BUT IT DOES APPLY TO MANY CHILDREN. BOYS TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INTERESTED IN THE CONCRETE NON-FICTION THINGS. WHEN I TOOK A GROUP OF ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNERS TO THE LIBRARY, 7TH GRADERS, THE BOYS ALL WANTED TO GO TO THE HOW TO MAKE A BILLION DOLLARS AND STOCK MARKET SCHEMES YOU COULD TRY AND THE GIRLS WERE ALL INTERESTED IN FINDING MORE FANTASY TYPE THINGS OR STORIES. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR READING CHOICES. >> I WAS GOING TO ASK AS FAR AS THAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE, HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK OF THAT AS EXPECTATION? LIKE MAYBE PARENTS EXPECTING THEM TO BE INTERESTED IN SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR IT'S SOCIETY IN GENERAL EXPECTING THEM TO BE INTERESTED IN SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR DO YOU THINK IT REALLY IS A PURE DIFFERENCE? >> EXCELLENT QUESTION. BY THE TIME CHILDREN BECOME LITERATE THEY'RE SUBJECT TO SO MANY INFLUENCES BUT AT THE AGE OF THIS PARTICULAR LIBRARY TRIP THE PRIMARY INFLUENCE IS PEER. YOU CAN RAISE THE MOST GENDER NEUTRAL CHILD IN THE WORLD BUT THROW THEM INTO A 7TH GRADE CLASSROOM AND IN TWO WEEKS WILL BE ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER. THE IDEA HERE IS NOT TO TRY TO INFLUENCE THAT CHOICE ON THEIR PART BY PROVIDING THEM WITH DIFFERENCE LITERACY MATERIALS BUT IT IS A GREAT CONVERSATION FOR SOME CRITICAL THINKING. AND DIALOGUE. WHEY ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THIS? I'M GOING THE TALK WITH YOU ABOUT SOME WAYS TO DIALOGUE WITH YOUR CHILD ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO READ. IN OTHER WORDS WE WANT TO GIVE THE CHILD WITHIN REASON THREE CHOICES ABOUT WHAT -- FREE CHOICES ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN READING BUT TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER AND GET EVERYTHING POSSIBLE OUT OF THAT, GIVE A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON IT. GOING ON I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS THAT U YOU DO NEED TO DEVELOP EARLY ON. I'M GO THROUGH THESE ONE AT A TIME. AWARENESS COMES BEFORE LITERACY AND THAT SIMPLY MEANS BEING ABLE TO HEAR AND IDENTIFY AND PLAY WITH CERTAIN SOUNDS. WE DO THIS DURING EARLY LANGUAGE ACQUISITION WHEN THEY ARE 14 TO 28 MONTHS OIG MAYBE 30 MONTHS OLD. MAKING THE RIGHT DISLEX A LOT OF WHAT YOU'RE READING AT THIS TIME HAS A LOT OF THAT REPETITION. THAT'S WHEN WE READ A LOT OF RHYMES TO CHILDREN. RHYMES ARE A GREAT WAY TO TEACH LANGUAGE. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MIGHT BE READING THEM MOTHER GOOSE RHYME OR YOU MIGHT READ MORE PROGRESSIVE ONE, I'LL SHARE GREAT LISTS WITH YOU. HERE IS THE FIRST LINE FROM ONE OF THEM. EACH PEACH PEAR PLUM, I SPY TOM THUMB. THAT KIND OF EACH PEACH, PEAR PLUM. YOU CAN HEAR THOSE RHYMING THERE'S LIT RATION AN RHYMING AGAIN AT THE END. AND AS YOU READ TO YOUR CHILD IF YOU FIND YOURSELF READING IN A LITTLE SING SONG VOICE AN FEELING SILLY, ACTUALLY WE HAVE LEARNED THAT CHILDREN LEARN LANGUAGE BEST FROM A HIGHER KIND OF SING SONG TONE. IT'S CALLED MOTHER MES. SO DON'T FEEL SILLY HOW YOU SOWN WHEN READING YOUR CHILD A BOOK LIKE THAT. ONCE YOUR CHILD CAN DO, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR IT IN YOUR SPEECH, EVEN A BABY BABBLING IS GOING BA, BA, BA, BA, BA, BA, BA. THAT'S NEXT LEVEL IS PHONICS. MOST CHILDREN WILL BEGIN THAT THROUGH SYMBOLS. HERE IS A SYMBOL KIDS RECOGNIZE. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE TO YOU? M ROUNDED AT THE TOP, WE OFTEN SEE VERY LARGE IN GOLD. MCDOMEDS. THAT'S ANOTHER THEY START RECOGNIZING SOON AND THEN THEY PROGRESS TO RECOGNIZING STOP SIGNS. ALL THAT MEAN -- OH, THAT MEANS STOP SO THAT CONNECTION STARTS TO BE MADE. AFTER THAT BUILDING VOCABULARY O SO THE CHILDREN CAN COMMUNICATE AND THEN NOT UNTIL 6 OR 7 DOES TRUE READING BEGIN. BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND GET MEANING FROM WHAT HAS BEEN READ. THEY'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT'S SPOKEN TO THEM WHEN YOU READ A BOOK BUT TO ACTUALLY READ IT AND GET THE MEETING WE LOOK AT FULL LIT TRAL COMPETENCY AT AGE 7, PARENTS DON'T REALIZE THAT BECAUSE IT'S A CONTINUUM THAT CAN START AS YOUNG AS MAYBE AGE 4 FOR GREAT KIDS OR KIDS INTERESTED IN READING, AND THEN IT GROWS BUT THAT FULL MEANING, YOU CAN CAN'T COUNT ON THAT USUALLY UNTIL AGE 7. THAT IS WHAT WE CALL READING COMPREHENSION FLUENCY, ORAL COMPREHENSION OR ORAL READING IS OFTEN A BIG PROJECT UP THROUGH 4 AND 5TH GRADE FOR A CHILD TO STAND UP AND READ FLIEWPTLY. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY RAN INTO STUMBLING BLOCKS WITH THAT FOR CHILDREN TO READ FOR INSTANCE IN PHRASES RATHER THAN JUST ONE WORD AT A TIME. AND TO DROP THEIR VOICE AT THE END OF A SENTENCE, THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN USUALLY BEFORE 5TH GRADE. SOME MORE SKILLS INVOLVED WITH READING. ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO DO WITH WHAT THEY HEAR. SO IN ORDER s– TO GET YOUR CHILD READING WELL YOU WANT TO BE SPEAKING WELL, TALKING IN COMPLETE SENTENCES AND USING A REALLY WIDE VOCABULARY. AS MANY WORDS AS YOU CAN TO THROW IN. SOMETIMES WE TEND TO SIMPLIFY WHAT THEY SAY TO CHILDREN IF CHILDREN LEARN FROM CONTEXT, TONE AN EXPRESSION. THE FIRST TIME YOU SAY TO A SIX MONTH OLD PUT THAT DOWN, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU MEAN. IN THE SAME WAY A FOUR OR EIGHT YEAR OLD OR 12-YEAR-OLD CAN UNDERSTAND A LOT OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING SO TALK ONkO A COLLEGE LEVEL, IF THE CHILD DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THEY'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT, GET THAT BIG VOCABULARY GOING, IT WILL BLOW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLTEACHERS MINDS WHEN YOUR CHILD TALKS THAT WAY. MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD IS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND YOU BY SPEAKING CLEARLY AND IF YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND YOUR CHILD ENCOURAGE THEM TO REPEAT WHAT THEY SAID. TWO VULNERABLE AREAS HERE, FIRST LEARNING LANGUAGE AND CAN MAKE LOTS OF MISTAKES. YOU DON'T WANT TO CORRECT THE MISTAKE BUT WHEN YOU RESPOND USE THE CORRECT WAY OF SAYING IT AND THAT WILL ENCOURAGE CONVERSATION INSTEAD OF P STOPPING DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS TO CITE SIZE AND IT WILL TEACH THEM. THE OTHER VULNERABLE TIME AGAIN IS DURING ADOLESCENTS. KIDS WHO WERE STRIDENT AND NOISY AND SPOKE RIGHT OUT WHEN THEY WERE 8, 9,10 YEARS OLD START MUMBLING LIKE THIS WHEN THEY'RE ADOLESCENT. THEY'RE SO SELF-CONSCIOUS. AT HOME IS THE BEST PLACE TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO START SPEAKING UP AGAIN. AND HAVE THEM REPEAT THEMSELVES. THEN OF COURSE LISTENING IS AER VERY IMPORTANT SKILL AS WELL TO ENCOURAGE LITERACY AND THE BEST WAY TO ENCOURAGE APPROPRIATE LISTENING IS TO MODEL IT YOURSELF. BY NOT INTERRUPTING BY MAKING SURE YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS SAID AND O FORTH. BASIC COMMUNICATION SKILLS, ESSENTIAL. I WANT TO BEGIN THE NEXT PHASE BY GOING THROUGH DEVELOPMENTALLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO AT EACH STAGE FOR CHILDREN FOR READING. BEFORE I DO THAT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? >> I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT ASSOCIATED SKILLS. HOW ABOUT HOW DO YOU HAVE ANY STRATEGY FOR THE GREETING WITH WRITING SKILLS CONNECTED WITH THE WRITING KILL? >> CONNECTING READING WITH WRITING SKILL? >> YES. >> WRITINGING IS A GREAT WAY TO DEVELOP MORE READING SKILLS. WE'RE NOT TO THE AGE YET BUT I'LL ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT IT UP. READING AND WRITING ARE KIND OF AN ENDLESS LOOP WITH EACH OTHER AS YOU IMPROVE READING YOU IMPROVE WRITING SO FORTH. SOME GOOD WAYS TO GET YOUR CHILD INTERESTED IN WRITING IS HAVE THEM DO WRITING THAT PLAYS INTO EVER DAY LIFE. LET THEM WRITE THE GROCERY LIST, LET THEM NOTE THE CHECKS IN THE CHECKBOOKS. LET THEM WRITE THE NOTE OR EMAIL TO FAMILY MEMBERS. ANOTHER WAY TO ENCOURAGE WRITING IS TO GIVE YOUR CHILD A DIARY OR HAVE THEM TEXT ON A TELEPHONE. ANYTHING THAT CAN GET THEM COMMUNICATING. SOME CHILDREN ARE SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT WHAT THEY RIOT AN SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT MAKING MISTAKES SO THIS IS NOT A TIME TO CORRECT WHAT THEY DID WRONG BUT TO MODEL CORRECT WRITING FOR THEM. A GOOD WAY TO GET YOUR CHILD WRITING A LITTLE EVERY DAY IS TO EMAIL BACK AND FORTH WITH YOUR CHILD. IT'S DONE MORE FOR LETTER WRITING THAN ANY MANNERS EXPERT COULD HAVE ENCOURAGED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS. SO THOSE ARE OTHER WAYS. >> I WAS CURIOUS IF A CHILD USES SOMETHING INCORRECTLY OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME IS IT APPROPRIATE TO CORRECT THEM? >> IF THEY HEAR YOU SAY IT APPROPRIATELY -- >> THEY WILL GET? IT >> THEY SHOULD EVENTUALLY GET IT. SOMETIMES IF KIDS KNOW THAT BOTHERS YOU THEY'LL DO IT ON PURPOSE. >> IF SOMEONE HAS A LEARNING DISABILITY, DOES THAT AFFECT READING AND WRITING EQUALLY OR IS IT MORE WHICH WOULD BE MAINLY EFFECTED BY THAT? >> DEPENDS ON THE PARTICULAR SITUATION THAT THEY HAVE ON THEIR PARTICULAR OBSTACLE. IF IT'S COMPREHENSION RELATED IT WILL INFLUENCE READING AND WRITING. IF ON THE OTHER HAND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE ACTION OF WRITING VERSUS THE ACTION OF LISTENING THEN YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF IMFACT ON THOSE TWO SKILLS. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE THE TWO AREAS IN THE BRAIN ASSOCIATED WITH SPEECH ARE VER NIX AREA WHICH HAS TO DO WITH UNDERSTANDING SPEECH AND BROKERSZARIA WITH FORMING SPEECH AND MAKING IT COME OUT. SAY SOMEBODY HAS A PROBLEM IN THEIR VERNIX AREA NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT'S SAID TO THEM, IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO READ AND TO WRITE. IF THEY HAVE A PROBLEM IN BROKERS AREA WITH UNDERSTANDING OR BEING ABLE TO CREATE SPEECH THEY MAYBE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND PERFECTLY WELL AND WRITE OKAY. IT'S JUST THAT THEY CAN'T SPEAK OKAY, THAT WOULD BE AN OBSTACLE BUT A DIFFERENT ONE IF THAT MAKES SENSE. YES. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THESE PROGRAMS AIMED AT PARENTS TO TEACH BABIES AN TODDLERS TO READ? >> THERE ARE BETTER USES FOR YOUR MONEY. PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING IS A BETTER USE FOR YOUR MONEY. WE LIVE IN SUCH AN ACHIEVEMENT FOCUS SOCIETY AND LIKE TO THINK I LOVE TO GIVE MY CHILD A HEAD START OR HEAD START ON WHATEVER. THAT'S SOMEONE OUT THERE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SELL YOU MATERIALS AND TELL YOU THAT'S GOING TO WORK FOR YOU T. BRAIN IS SIMPLY NOT DESIGNED TO WORK THAT WAY. THAT'S WHY YOU WANT TO LET YOUR CHILD INTEREST LEAD MOST OF WHAT YOU DO WITH THEM. IF YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO LEARN TO READ WELL AND PROMPTLY AND BE A HAPPY READER, THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT TODAY ARE PRETTY MUCH FOOLPROOF WHEN YOU HAVE A CHILD SIX OR EIGHT MONTHS OR TODDLER, ENENCOURAGING READING HAS TO DO WITH MORE PATIENCE TO SIT DOWN AND LOOK THROUGH A BOOK WITH THEM AND TALK ABOUT IT AND MAKE IT PART OF THEIR LIFE AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING ELSE IN THEIR LIFE SO KAY. WE DON'T WANT TO TURN KIDS OFF TO LEARNING AND PUSHING THOSE PROGRAMS CAN CAN UNFORTUNATELY HAVE THAT EFFECT SO FOR THAT REASON I DISCOURAGE PARENTS FROM BUYING KITS OR PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO TEACH CHILDREN TO LEARN TO READ BEFORE KINDERGARTEN. ON THE OTHER HAND IF YOU YOU HAVE A FOUR-YEAR-OLD WHO SAYS MOMMY, WHAT DOES THAT SAY OR DAD, READ THIS TO ME, LET THEM KNOW, AGAIN YOU'RE JUST FOLLOWING THEIR INTEREST. I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO THE INDIVIDUAL AGES. DOES ANYBODY HERE IN OUR ROOM TODAY HAVE A CHILD UNDER ONE YEAR? A CHILD THIS AGE WANTS A BOOK THEY CAN BITE. THEY'RE GOING TO BE TEASE TEETHING ON ANYTHING ANYWAY SO DON'T GET BOOKS WITH PAPER PAGES. YOU WANT THE CARDBOARD BOOKS OR PLASTIC BANK BOOKS GREAT FOR A CHILD OF THIS AGE. IT'S EASIER TO HANDLE THE SMALLER ONES. THEY CAN CARRY IT AROUND. TALK ABOUT PICTURES IN THE BOOKS, THEY MIGHT HAVE ONE OR TWO WORD ON THEM, A GREAT ONE IS A BOOK THAT SHOWS BABIES WITH DIFFERENT FACIAL EXPRESSION, HAPPY, SAD, MAD, EVERY DAY ITEMS THEY SEE, THAT YOU CAN TALK ABOUT. AS THEY SEE THE PICTURE AND YOU SAY THE WORD THEY FORM THAT ASSOCIATION THAT LATER WILL CONNECT TO THE ACTUAL REL8!YF THING. SINGING IS A GREAT WAY TO KEEP THE INTEREST, PLAYING PEEK A BOO WITH THE BOOK, YOU DON'T JUST HAVE TO READ IT BUT HAVING IT AROUND. A FAVORITE TOY OF YOUNG BABIES AND TODDLERS IS A SAND BUCKET, A PLASTIC BUCKET WITH THREER OR FOUR CHUNKY BOOKS IN THEM. THEY WILL DUMP THEM, PICK THEM UP, LOOK AT THEM, PUT THEM BACK. WE WANT THEM HANDLING THEM A LOT. DIFFERENT TEXTURES IN THE STORY ARE GREAT WHICH IS WHY PAT THE BUNNY IS SUCH A CLASSIC. I HAD IT WHEN I WAS A BABY, YOUR BABIES NEED TO HAVE IT TOO. OR OTHER TEXTURE BOOKS, AND YOU WANT TO INCORPORATE READING WITH YOUR BABY A FEW TIMES A DAY, THIS GOES WELL UP TO SCHOOL AGE. BEFORE YOU PUT THEM DOWN FOR A NAP OR ONCE IN THE MORNING, ONE IN THE AFTERNOON, ONCE IN THE EVENING SO THEY'RE EXPOSED TO IT A LOT. AND FOLLOW THEIR LEAD, IF THEY'RE PUSHING THE BOOK AWAY, AND SQUIRMING TO GET DOWN, LET THEM GO AN PLAY WITH THE BOOK MAYBE BRING IT UP NEXT TIME OR INCORPORATE INTO YOUR FLOOR TIME PLAY. THAT WILL GET THE BABY COMFORTABLE WITH BOOKS AND FEELING HAPPY ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING READ TO. AS YOU CAN SEE IT'S NOT JUST ME BUT THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS SAYS BY SIX MONTHS YOU NEED TO BE READING TO THEM SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO READ TO KIDS? THIS IS A WONDERFUL RESOURCE THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS, 100 PICTURE BOOKS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW. THEY'RE SO WONDERFUL. DON'T OVERLOOK ANY OF THESE, THE ERIC CARL BOOKS, THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR, THE FRANCIS BOOK, THE LIEL BOOK, THE CORDUROY BOOKS SO MANY OF THESE ARE WONFUL TO READ. AND THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL. LIKE MULLIGAN'S STEAM SHOVEL. MISS PIG L WIGGLE. WONDERFUL BOOKS. WHEN YOUR CHILD IS A LITTLE BIT OLD OAR YOU WANT TO LET THEM AT THAT POINT CHOOSE, WHAT AM I GOING TO HEAR, WHAT STORIES DO I WANT TO HEAR? LET THEM TURN THE PAGES, IT'S OKAY IF THEY SKIP A PAGE, THEY WILL NOTICE IF YOU TRY TO. YOU WANT EXPRESSION IN YOUR VOICE. IF YOU CHILD HAS HEARD IT BEFORE STOP AND LET THEM SAY THE WORD. THAT'S LOOPING THEM IN TO READING, LOTS OF FUN FOR THEM. YOU CAN INCORPORATE ACTING OUT THE STORY OR USING PUPPETS OR PRETENDING TO BE SOMEONE IN THE STORY. THEY LOVE THAT, THEY ENJOY THAT. AND IT HELP IT IS STORY COME TO LIFE AND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE WRITTEN WORD AND SOMETHING REALCH PUT THEIR NAME IN AS THE PROTAGONIST INSTEAD OF USING CORDUROY'S NAME OR CURIOUS GEORGE'S NAME. AND JUST TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE READING. READING A CHILD A BOOK WELL DOESN'T MEAN SITTING DOWN, HAVING THEM SIT DOWN, STARTING PAGE 1 AND READING EVERY WORD TO THE END. IT DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT. IT'S MORE DIALOGUE. YES. >> EVEN AT THIS AGE 1 TO 3 IS STILL THE MAIN PURPOSE JUST GETTING A CHILD INTERESTED IN READING AND NOT SO MUCH THE ACTUAL ACADEMICS PART BUT GETTING THEM THE LOVE OF BOOKS TO BECOME IMPORTANT. >> THE ACADEMIC STUFF IS HAPPENING AS YOUNG AS THREE. THE REASON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THEM IS FIRST THEIR VOCABULARY IS EXPANDING EXPONENTIALLY AT THAT AGE. IF YOU CAN LOOK INSIDE THEIR BRAIN IN AS SHORT AS A THREE MONTH PERIOD YOU CAN GO 1 OR 2 SYNAPSES FIRING OVER A WORD TO THOUSANDS OF THEM. THIS IS A PRIME AGE TO SEED THEIR VOCABULARY BY READING. THE OTHER THING THAT'S HAPPENING ACADEMICALLY IS A THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PRINTED WORD AND MEANING OF CERTAIN THINGS. THERE IS A LOT HAPPENING. IF CHILDREN UNDER 3 ARE NOT READ TO WE SEE SIGNIFICANT DELAYS IN THEIR READING ACQUISITION LATER ON. WHEN YOUR CHILD IS OLDER, WHAT HAPPENED TO 3 TO 5? I'M GOING TO POP IT IN THERE. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE KINDS OF BOOKS THAT CHILDREN LIKE AT EACH AGE. I'LL START WITH A BABY, WE SAID PICTURE BOOKS. MAYBE WITH ONE OR TWO WORDS. RIGHT? TEXTURE BOOKS ARE GREAT. WHEN YOUR CHILD IS DEVELOPING THEIR OWN LANGUAGE, THIS IS FROM 14 MONTHS TO MAYBE 30 MONTHS OR SO, YOU WANT TO USE A LOT OF THAT RHYMING THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, SING SONGS, MOTHER GOOSE ACTUAL SINGING ALONG WITH THE BOOK IS ALSO GREAT. THAT REALLY TEACHES -- BUILDS THAT BROKERS AREA OF STRENGTH AND WORD FORMULATION, FORKING WORDS. WHEN YOUR CHILD IS THREE YEARS OLD OR AS YOUNG AS TWO AND A HALF, THEY'RE PROBABLY A FAIRLY COMPETENT SPEAKER. WE HOPE SO BY THEN. AND AT THAT POINT THEY ARE GOING TO BE INTERESTED IN BOOKS ABOUT EVERY DAY OCCURRENCES. SO AND SO VISIT IT IS DOCTOR. WE HELP DADDY. THOSE LITTLE EVERY DAY STORIES. THE BEARSTEIN BEARS ARE ADVANCED AT THAT AGE. I'M TALKING BASIC LET'S GO OUT AND PLAY KINDS OF BOOKS. THEN THEY CAN GET INTO A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED STUFF WHEN THEY'RE 3, 3 1/2 PUSHING FOUR. THEN IT'S THE TIME TO GET INTO THE BEARSTEIN BEARS AND OTHER A LITTLE OUTSIDE EVERY DAY EXPERIENCE BUT TALKING ABOUT MOST OF THE THINGS YOUR CHILD IS SAFA MILL YAR WITH. WHEN YOUR CHILD TURNS FOUR, AROUND THAT TIME YOU'LL SEE A TURN AROUND IN THEIR INTEREST. AT THAT POINT CHILDREN BEGIN BECAUSE OF A COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT CHANGE TO BE ABLE TO USE THEIR IMAGINATION FAR MORE WIDELY THAN THEY COULD BEFORE. AT THAT POINT THEY'RE READY FOR FANTASY BOOKS. BOOKS ABOUT TROLLS AND WITCHES AND GOBLINS AND MAGIC AND THAT KIND OF THING. SO IT'S NOT UNTIL THEN THAT WE WANT TO INTRODUCE FAWRRY TAILS. FAIRY TAIL BOOKS FOR A CHILD YOWNER THAN 4 ARE HARD TO UNDERSTAND AND CAN BE SCARY. WHEREAS A FOUR-YEAR-OLD IS ALREADY IMAGINING THAT KIND OF STUFF SO GO AHEAD AND LET THEM HAVE AT IT. AND FIVE IS ALSO GOING TO BE INTERESTED IN THAT BUT THEN THEY ALSO BECOME MORE INTERESTED IN STORIES ABOUT FRIENDSHIP. SO A FIVE-YEAR-OLD WILL BE I@d THE SWEET VALLEY GIRL BOOKS I HAVE READ FAR TOO MANY OF IN MY LIFE. SO JUST A LITTLE KIND OF INTEREST THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING FOR YOUR CHILD. I WILL GO TO ELEMENTARY THEN TAKE A BREAK FOR QUESTIONS. PARENTS DON'T REALIZE THIS BUT YOUR CHILD CANNOT COMPREHEND AND READ AT THE SAME LEVEL UNTIL THEY'RE ABOUT 12 YEARS OLD. SO YOUR 8-YEAR-OLD MIGHT BE A COMPETENT READER IN SCHOOL BUT THEIR IMAGINATION WILL GET STUNTED IF THE ONLY READING THEY'RE EXPOSED TO IS WHAT THEY THEMSELVES ARE CAPABLE OF. PARENTS NEED THE READ TO KIDS WELL INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL, 6TH GRADE, RIGHT ABOUT THERE. UNLESS YOU HAVE A VERY ADVANCED CHILD YOU MIGHT GET AWAY WITH SLACKING OFF WHEN 11 OR SO. THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT AGAIN, THEIR COMPREHENSION AREA OF THEIR BRAIN IS WAY AHEAD. THEIR SPEECH COMPREHENSION WAY AHEAD OF THEIR READING COMPREHENSION. SO WE RECOMMEND YOUR READING TO THEM ON A DAILY BASIS UNTIL THEY'RE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. I WANT TO SHARE A TRADITION IN MY HOUSE, WE READ TOGETHER. AN ANNUAL OCCURRENCE, WE READ THE SCRIEWJ STORY TOGETHER AND EACH PERSON IN THE FAMILY WILL TAKE A TURN READING THE PAGE OR CHAPTER DEPENDING ON HOW FLUENT THEY WERE WITH READING. THE YOUNGER WHEN IT WAS HER TURN THEY WOULD THINK SHE'S TOO SLOW, MOM, I DON'T WANT THE WAIT FOR HER. BUT SHE GOT HER TURN NONETHELESS. I ALSO WANT TO INTRODUCE ANOTHER WONDERFUL WAY TO READ WITH YOUR CHILDREN. READ AS MUCH AS YOU WANT OUTLOUD OR AS MUCH AS EVERYBODY IS INTERESTED IN AND THEN SOMEBODY CAN SAY STOP, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS. SO LET'S SAY YOU'RE READING HARRY POTTER. YOU STOP AND TALK ABOUT IT. YOU DON'T CHARGE THROUGH LIKE EATING WITHOUT TASTING, YOU WANT TO STOP AND TALK ABOUT THE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE BOOK, WHAT ARE WE LEARNING? VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE IT MORE INTERESTING TO THEM. GO AHEAD. >> WONDERING WHAT U Y THOUGHT ABOUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THEY PUT STUDENTS NO NCI GROUPS, THREE GROUPS THE HIGH, MIDDLE AND LOW. WONDERING WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? >> IT HAS PLUSES AN MINUSES, IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, MAYBE YOU ARE IN THE YELLOW BIRDS OR THE RED BIRDS OR THE BLUE BIRDS OR WHATEVER THE NAME WAS OF YOUR READING LEVEL IN SCHOOL. IT'S NOT FAIR TO ANY CHILDREN TO ALL BE EXPECTED TO PROCEED AT THE SAME PACE. SO GROUPS CAN CAN HELP WITH THAT. THE PROBLEM IS WITHIN THE GROUP THERE'S A WIDE RANGE OF DIFFERENCES SO TIMES READING PAIRS IS BETTER THAN READING GROUPS. THAT'S SOMETHING TO DISCUSS WITH YOUR CHILD'S TEACHER. ANOTHER THING IN SMALL DOSES IS HAVING ADVANCED READERS SIT AND HELP SLOWER READERS BUT TEACHERS GET LURED INTO TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE MORE ADVANCED KIDS THAT WAY AND NOT GIVING THEM ENOUGH TIME TO CONTINUE THE BUILD THEIR SKILLS. BETTER THAN NOTHING BUT NOT IDEAL IS THE SHORT ANSWER TO THAT. FEW MORE TIPS TO SHARE WITH YOU. THIS GETS INTO READING FOR TEENAGER, AFTER THAT WE'LL TAKE MORE QUESTIONS. WHEN YOUR CHILD IS 12 AND UP YOU DON'T NEED TO READ OUT LOUD ANY MORE BUT YOU WANT TO BE READING WITH THEM. READ THE SAME BOOKS THEY READ AFTER THEY GO TO BED OR WHATEVER, MAYBE YOU'LL GET THE BOOK OUT OF THE LIBRARY OR LOADED TO YOUR NOOK OR KINDLE AND TALK ABOUT IT WITH THEM. IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THEIR PERSPECTIVE IS ON WHAT THEY READ. AND THE CLASSIC TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD, EVERY CLASS HAS TO GO THROUGH READING THAT OR SOME OF THE OTHER CLASSICS, IF YOU'RE READING AT THE SAME TIME AS YOUR CHILD, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO DISCUSS IT WITH YOU, IT'S GOING TO EXPAND THEIR COMPREHENSION AND PERSPECTIVE SO MUCH. SO EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT TERRIBLY INTERESTED IN THE BOOK IT PAYS OFF FOR YOUR CHILD IF YOU READ IT TOO. HAVING A BOOK CLUB THAT INCLUDES YOUR CHILD IS A FUN WAY TO GET KIDS INTERESTED AT THIS AGE IN BOOKS TOO. MAYBE YOU WANT TO DO A PARENT CHILD BOOK CLUB OR MAYBE YOU WANT TO HOST YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER'S BOOK CLUB AT YOUR HOME AND LET THEM HAVE FRIENDS OVER AND GET TOGETHER, SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO BOOK CLUBS, MIGHT BE EVERYBODY READING THE SAME BOOK, MIGHT BE EVERYBODY BRINGING A DIFFERENT BOOK, IT MIGHT BE EVERYBODY READING A BOOK AND COMING OVER TO ACT THE STORY OUT WITH COSTUMES. OR DOING A PLAY READING TOGETHER. ESPECIALLY FOR TEENSCH SHAKESPEARE CAN BE PRETTY DARNED INTERESTING, THE P IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR AT ALL VERY, VERY INTERESTING. WE HAVE A CONSIDER GRAPHIC NOVELS. MY CONCERN IS YOU THINK WE'RE TALKING GRAPHIC IN TERMS OF WHAT WE SAY ABOUT MOVIES WHEN THERE'S GRAPHIC VIOLENCE. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE MEAN. A GRAPHIC NOVEL IS A CARTOON BOOK. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMIC. BUT YOU CAN GET THAT FORMAT FOR WORLD HISTORY, I GAVE MY GRANDDAUGHTER FOR CHRISTMAS TWO VOLUMES OF WORLD HISTORY, ALL IN CARTOON FORMAT. THEY HAVE THE I WILL STRAIGHTS TO LOOK AT, IT'S KIND OF FUNNY LITTLE COMMENTS, IT'S MORE INTERESTING THAN READING THE TEXTBOOK. AND WHEN MY GRANDDAUGHTER GETS TO 7 OR 8TH GRADE AND ENCOUNTERS THAT TOPIC IN SCHOOL, SHE'LL ALREADY HAVE A GOOD WORKING KNOWLEDGE BUT IT WILL HAVE BEEN FUN TO READ INSTEAD OF TEDIOUS. A COUPLE OF OTHER SUGGESTIONS ARE ALSO UP THERE. SOMETHING ELSE YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR OLD OAR CHILD IS HAVE THEM WORK WITH YOUNGER KIDS TO HELP THEM. YOU CAN HAVE YOUR TEEN START A TUTORING BUSINESS, HELPING YOUNGER KIDS LEARN TO READ. YOUNGER KIDS LEARN BETTER FROM TEENAGERS THAN ADULTS. KIDS ALWAYS LEARN FROM EACH OTHER THAN ADULTS. IF YOUR CHILD SEES THEMSELVES AS SOMEONE WITH A REPUTATION TO PROTECT, A LITTLE INCOME TO EARN AND SOME SPECIAL SKILLS, THAT'S ALSO GOING TO BUILD THEIR READING. FEW MORE THINGS FOR TEENS. >> MY SON DEVELOPED A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD READING AND WE HIRED THE NEIGHBORHOOD BOY AS HIS TUTOR AND HE'S TURNING THAT AROUND. >> REALLY? I DID NOT EVEN ASK FOR ANY KIND OF -- ANY KIND OF TESTIMONY. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. YEAH. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT A TEENAGER THAT YOUNGER KIDS FIND SO COOL EVEN A GAWKY TEENAGER LOOKS COOL TO A YOUNGER KID SO THAT WAS A GOOD STRATEGY. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF RESOURCES LISTED THERE FOR TEENS TOO. NOW, I WANT TO STOP IN THIS POINT AND ASK IF THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE I GO ON TO TALK MORE ABOUT RESOURCES. YES. >> FROM THE COMIC BOOKS DO YOU THINK TEENS YOU NEED TONE COURAGE THEM TO READ MORE OR YOU WANT Q.THAT DEPENDS TON TYPE OF O COMIC BOOK THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IF IT'S NOT STRETCHING THEIR LEARN ORGANIZE UNDERSTANDING OR MAYBE CAME ACROSS SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE YOU WANT TO BACK AWAY FROM THAT. I WOULDN'T WORRY AS A PARENT BUT IF THEIR READING IS NOT WHERE YOU WANT IT TO BE I WOULD PUSH MORE COMIC BOOK WITH REDEEMING VALUE, MAYBE A TOPIC YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT OR A LITTLE MORE ADVANCED, NOT JUST ENTERTAINMENT BUT ALSO LITERATURE OR HISTORY OR SCIENCE. >> INVOLVE TOO MANY COMIC BOOKS IS MUCH EASIER FROM THE TEENS. MY SON IS INTERESTED IN ALL KIND OF KNOWLEDGE OR ALL KIND OF BOOK IN COMIC, HE'S USUALLY PICKING THE COMIC FIRST. I THINK LIMIT HIS OTHER READING MATERIAL. >> IT'S VERY LIKELY. HOW OLD IS YOUR SON? >> RIGHT NOW HE'S 16. I'M TALKING ABOUT HIS PAST. I FOUND HE USE (INAUDIBLE) SO MANY TIMES. >> COMIC BOOKS CONSIDER TEMPTING FOR A CHILD. DURING THOSE AD LESS ISN'T WREERS WHEN THEY'RE SO VULNERABLE TO LOSING INTEREST ALL TOGETHER IN READING OR IF THERE'S DELAYS THERE ARE GOOD OPTION BUS THAT EAR NOT THE ULTIMATE OPTION. THAT'S FOR SURE. I HAD SOME OTHER -- WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS SHARE HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT KIND OF BOOK FOR YOUR CHILD. IF YOU DON'T KNOW A THING ABOUT THEM, WE HAVE TONS OF RESOWRTSES IN YOUR PACKET. -- RESOURCES IN YOUR PACKET. TBLU'S CERTAIN THINGS YOU CAN LOOK FOR, FOR PRE-SCHOOLER, LOOK FOR BOOKS THAT HAVE WON THE NEWBERRY AWARD. N E W B E R Y, GOOGLE IT, THE NEW BERRY AWARD BOOKS HAVE BEEN AWARDING A BOOK A YEAR, FOR MANY DECADES. THE NEW BERRY BOOKS ARE WONDERFUL, EVERYTHING FROM BLUEBERRIES, GOOD NIGHT MOON, ALL THE CLASSICS ARE AMONG THE NEW BEFORERY AWARD WINNERS. FOR OLDER CHILDREN, I'LL SAY THIRD TO MAYBE 8TH OR 9TH GRADE, LOOK FOR CAL DERKSCOTT MEDAL WINNERS. THESE ARE BOOKS THAT THE WRITING LEVEL IS VERY GOOD. THERE'S VALUE TO THEM AND YOUR CHILD WILL ENJOY READING THEM. FOR TEENAGERS, LOOK FOR THE MICHAEL L. PRINCE AWARD. P R I N T Z. THIS AWARD IS WONDERFUL TO LOOK FOR FOR TEEN READING. SO IT'S NOT JUST US TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ON OUR OWN. YOUR LOCAL LIBRARIAN WILL HAVE MORE SUGGESTIONS FOR YOU THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE, THAT'S A GREAT RESOURCE TOO. IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S READING, YOU WANT TO GET ON IT RIGHT AWAY, AND YOU WANT TO TALK TO SOMEBODY SPECIALIZED IN THIS AREA. A PEDIATRICIAN IS YOUR FIRST STOP TO RULE OUT ANY PHYSICAL OR MEDICAL ISSUES THAT MAYBE INTERFERING. SOMETIMES IT'S SOMETHING SO SIMPLE, A VISION ISSUE OR A HEARING ISSUE THAT CAN BE CORRECTED LIKE THAT. THEN YOU WANT TO MOVE ON TO A LITERACY SPECIALIST. TALK WITH YOUR CHILD'S CLASSROOM TEACHER THE GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, HAVE THEM SCREENED, FOLLOW WHATEVER SUGGESTIONS YOU HAVE. IF YOU GET THE MESSAGE THAT EVERYTHING IS FINE, BUT YOU DONE HAVE THAT RELAXED EVERYTHING IS REALLY FINE FEELING YOU WANT TO FOLLOW-UP AND MAKE SURE YOU GET TO THE PERSON THAT CAN CAN HELP YOUR CHILD AND ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS DIRECTLY. THERE'S READING SPECIALISTS IN EVERY SCHOOL. THERE'S NO CHARGE FOR THOSE SERVICES. THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE GUIDANCE COUNSELING AND THE SCREENING PROCESS, THERE'S NOT A COUNTY IN THIS AREA THAT DOESN'T OFFER A TON OF RESOURCES AT NO CHARGE. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF BEING AN ASSERTIVE PART AND TRACKING IT DOWN, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. Q.IS THERE A CERTAIN AGE WHERE YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED? I HAVE TWO VERY LATE BLOOMERS, IT TOOK THEM QUITE A WHILE TO GET TO READ BUT BY SECOND GRADE THEY COULD CATCH ON AND DO REALLY WELL AN CATCH ONE THE REST OF THE STUDENTS. IS THERE A CERTAIN LIKE BY GRADE 3, THIRD GRADE IF THEY'RE NOT PROFICIENT OR NOT REALLY GETTING IT, IS THAT AN AGE -- I KNOW CHILDREN DEVELOP AT DIFFERENT STAGES AND THERE'S SOME INDIVIDUAL GROWTH THERE AS WELL. IS THERE A CERTAIN AGE YOU SHOULD BE ALARMED? >> DEFINITELY SO. WHAT YOU DESCRIBING IS ACTUALLY AVERAGE, NOT DELAYED. BUT SOMETIMES YOU -- >> YOU NEED TO TELL MCPS THAT. >> YEAH. THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN OUR AREA GET WRAPPED AROUND THE AXEL -- THEY WANT -- IT'S LIKE ALL THE CHILDREN NEED TO BE ABOVE AVERAGE. AND THE FACT IS THAT A LOT OF THE KIDS ARE. THIS AREA OF THE COUNTRY HAS THE HIGHEST PERCENT OF THE POPULATION OF PARENTS WITH ADVANCED DEGREES AND WE'RE A SMART BUNCH OF PEOPLE. BUT WHAT THAT MEANS UNFORTUNATELY IS THE BAR GETS RAIDED FOR KIDS MAYBE A LITTLE TOO MUCH. WE SURE WANT TO CATCH A PROBLEM AS SOON AS IT SHOWS UP BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE DON'T EXPECT CHILDREN TO BE COMPETENT READERS UNTIL AFTER THEIR 7TH BIRTHDAY SO 2ND GRADE IS TYPICAL. IF YOUR CHILD IS NOT READING COMFORTABLY BY THIRD GRADE I WOULD BE VERY CONCERNED BUT YOU WOULD HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT FROM THE TEACHER WELL BEFORE THAT. I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME OTHER LAND MARKS TO LOOK FOR WITH YOUR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT IN TERMS OF READING. BY 3 OR 4 YEARS OLD THEY SHOULD BE REMEMBERING NURSERY RHYMES AN PLAYING NURSERY GAMES. SO IF YOU SAY TO YOUR THREE OR FOUR-YEAR-OLD HICKORY DICKRY DOCK, THEY SHOULD SAY THE MOUSE RAN UP THE CLOCK. THEY KNOW THOSE THINGS. BY FOUR THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET INFORMATION OR FOLLOW DIRECTIONS FROM SPEECH. SO YOU CAN SAY MARY, PLEASE TAKE YOUR PLATE OVER TO THE TRASH, SCRAPE IT IN THE TRASH AND THEN PUT YOUR PLATE AND SILVERWARE IN THE DISHWASHER AND YOU SHOULD ONLY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT TO HER FOR HER TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU MEAN, WHETHER OR NOT SHE DOES IT, THAT'S ANOTHER MATTER. BUT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW DIRECTION BUSINESS THEN. BY KINDERGARTEN YOUR SHIELD SHOULD BE NAMING AND WRITING THE LETTERS AND NUMBERS, ALL OF THEM. UP TO 100. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO WRITE THE LONGER NUMBERS. AT FIVE YOU SHOULD SEE THEM PLAYING AND ENJOYING SIMPLE WORD GAMES LIKE HOW MANY WORDS CAN WE MAKE THAT END IN A T, CAT, HAT, BAT, MAT, ET CETERA. THOSE KINDS OF GAMES. AT 5 AND 6 YOUR CHILD SHOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT A COMPOUND OR LONGER WORD CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO ITS PARTS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE WORD BIGGER HAS THE LITTLE WORD BIG IN IT. THINGS LIKE THAT ARE GOING TO BE OF INTEREST TO THAT AGE. WE HAVE GOT A LIST OF RESOURCES IN YOUR PACKET THAT GIVE YOU A LOT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT FROM CHILDREN AT CERTAIN AGES. AND SRN CERTAINLY YOUR SCHOOL WILL HAVE THAT TOO. I WANT TO SPEND THE LAST MINUTE OR SO OF OUR TIME TOGETHER TALKING ABOUT A HOT TOPIC, AND THAT IS, eBOOKS VERSUS PAPER BOOKS. WELL, RESEARCH SHOWS ELECTRONIC BOOKS ARE FINE FOR KIDS TO USE. HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT PUTTING A $100 PLUS ELECTRONIC IN THE HANDS OF AN 8-YEAR-OLD WHO CAN'T REMEMBER TO BRING HIS BACKPACK HOME FROM SCHOOL IS ANOTHER QUESTION ENTIRELY BUT IN TERMS OF LITERACY DEVELOPMENT, E EBOOKS ARE GREAT. YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF RENOWNED ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING THAT OUT. YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT FOR YOUR OWN CHILD. YOU CAN GET FREE BOOKSS FROM THE LIBRARY NOW ON eREADERS WHICH IS A NICE ADVANCE. I WILL SUMMARIZE THICKS THAT HELP WITH ALL AGE -- THINGS THAT HELP WITH ALL AGES. YOU WANT ELECTRONICS OTHER THAN eREADERS TO PLAY LOW ROLE IN YOUR HOME, MAKE SURE YOU YOURSELF ARE A A READER NOT JUST FOR YOUR CHILD BUT YOURSELF AND READING TO HIM WITH YOUR CHILD. MAYBE CREATING STORIES TOGETHER. AND CONSIDER CREATING YOUR OWN BOOKS TOO. SCRAPBOOKS ARE AN EXAMPLE OF BOOK TO CREATE WITH YOUR CHILD. WE HAVE GREAT BOOK LISTS AVAILABLE FOR YOU, THIS IS ALSO IN YOUR PACKET. JUST SUPER RESOURCES. I REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU GET BOOKS THAT YOU LIKE. YOU'RE GOING TO BE READING IT 100 TIMES TO THEM, GET SOMETHING YOU LIKE LOOKING AT. I LOVE THE BOOKS I READ TO MY KIDS. IF I DIDN'T LIKE A CERTAIN KIND OF BOOK I DIDN'T GET IT AND THAT MEANT MY KIDS HEARD STORIES MORE. THE MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU ARE LISTED HERE. I'LL PULL UP OUR FINAL SLIDE, A REQUEST FOR YOU TO PLEASE FILL OUT OUR EVALUATION AS WE CLOSE. BUT I HAVE ONE MORE LITTLE DROP OF WISDOM TO SHARE WITH YOU. THAT IS, READING IS THE BEST ACTIVITY TO DO WITH CHILDREN BECAUSE YOU CAN DO IT SITTING DOWN OR LYING DOWN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO RUN AROUND AFTER THEM YOU DON'T HAVE TO CARRY THEM AROUND, YOU CAN SIT DOWN AND RELAX AND READ. SO THAT MAKES IT KIND OF ESPECIALLY FUN FOR MOM AND DAD TOO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WILL STAY HERE AS LONG AS THERE ARE QUESTIONS. BUT WE ARE OUT OF TIME FOR NOW. I GUESS IN TERMS OF RECORDING, WE'RE TURNING IT OFF. SO I WILL SAY GOODBYE. [APPLAUSE] >> I HAVE ONE QUESTION, I HAVE A LITTLE BOY HE'S KINDERGARTEN RIGHT NOW, HE REALLY NEVER LIKE -- THE TEACHER TELL ME LIKE GRADE 3 BUT HIS WRITING HE DOESN'T LIKE WRITING. EVERY TIME THE TEACHER GIVE YOU READING COMPREHENSION HE'S NEVER DO IT. DO YOU HAVE ANY STRATEGY TO LIKE THE WRITING? >> WHEN DID HE TURN 5? >> HE'S FIVE. >> HE'S FIVE NOW. >> HE'S SIX, JUST TURNED SIX ACTUALLY. >> SO (OFF MIC) >> ACTUALLY HE LIKE (INAUDIBLE) TOO BUT JUST DON'T LIKE THE READING COMPREHENSION ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS. >> IT'S JUST SIMPLY A MATTER OF ANSWERING THE THE QUESTIONS THEN, NOT THAT HE DOESN'T WANT TO WRITE (INAUDIBLE)? >> OTHER THINGS OKAY. >> HE'S PROBABLY BORED THEN. THOSE READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS ARE (INAUDIBLE). (OFF MIC) AND HE ALREADY UNDERSTANDS EVERYTHING (INAUDIBLE) (OFF MIC) >> THERE IS AN ONLINE PROGRAM, MY SON'S SCHOOL HAS IT THAT HAS READING COMPREHENSION THINGS AT THE END AND THEY GET PRIZES TO BUILD THIS LITTLE ROCKET AT THE END SO IT COULD BE MOTIVATING FOR THEM. >> ONLINE? >> THEY GET POINTS FOR READING COMPREHENSION, QUIZZES TOO. (OFF MIC) >> HE FEELS OH IT'S BORING I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. I SAID YOU CANNOT ANSWER THE QUESTION -- I DON'T LIKE IT. AND THEN HE NEVER FINISH HIS HOME WORK SO THE TEACHER GET SPECIAL HOME WORK (INAUDIBLE) IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SKILLS BUT HE'S ABLE TO DO IT. HE LIKES TO READ BUT THE -- (OFF MIC) I WOULD FIND THAT BORING TOO. TWO QUESTIONS HERE (INAUDIBLE) HELP HIM UNDERSTAND SOMETIMES TOUGH DO THE BORING STUFF. THAT'S WHERE REWARD IS A GOOD IDEA. A LOT OF TEACHERS HAVE STKERS AN CHECK MARKS AND IF YOU TURN EVERYTHING IN AND YOU HAVE CERTAIN NUMBER OF CHECK MARKS OR STICKERS YOU GET A PRIZE FROM THE JAR AND SOMETIMES PARENTS -- (INAUDIBLE) THAT KIND OF MOTIVATION (INAUDIBLE) >> EVERY TIME THEY GIVE THE REWARD YOU MEAN THEY (INDISCERNIBLE) >> EITHER DO THAT OR YOU MIGHT SAY AS SOON AS YOU FINISH ALL THIS, THEN YOU CAN GO OUTSIDE. >> I SAID IF YOU FINISH -- OKAY, I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, I DON'T WANT TO GO OUTSIDE.