Activities for birth to preschool: The early years

Activity 1: Books and babies

Babies love to listen to the human voice. What better way than through reading!

What you'll need:

Some books written especially for babies (books made of cardboard or cloth with flaps to lift and holes
to peek through).

What to do:

Start out by singing lullabies and folk songs to your baby. When your baby is about six months old,
choose books with brightly colored, simple pictures and lots of rhythm in the text. (Mother Goose
rhymes are perfect.) Hold your baby in your lap so he/she can see the colorful pages of the book.
Include books that show pictures and names of familiar objects.

As you read with your baby, point out objects in the pictures and make sure your baby sees all the things
that are fun to do with books. (Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt is a classic touch-and-feel book for
babies.)

Vary the tone of your voice with different characters in the stories, sing nursery rhymes, make funny
faces, do whatever special effects you can to stimulate your baby's interest.

Allow your child to touch and hold cloth and sturdy cardboard books.

When reading to a baby, keep the sessions brief but read daily and often.

As you read to your baby, your child is forming an association between books and what is most loved –
your voice and closeness. Allowing babies to handle books deepens their attachment even more.

Activity 2: Tot talk

What's "old hat" to you can be new and exciting to toddlers and preschoolers. When you talk about
everyday experiences, you help children connect their world to language and enable them to go beyond
that world to new ideas.

What you'll need:

Yourself and your child

What to do:

As you get dinner ready, talk to your child about things that are happening. When your 2- or 3-year-old
"helps" by taking out all the pots and pans, talk about them. "Which one is the biggest?" "Can you find a
lid for that one?" "What color is this one?"

When walking down the street and your toddler or preschooler stops to collect leaves, stop and ask
questions that require more than a "yes" or "no" answer. "Which leaves are the same?" "Which leaves
are different?" "What else grows on trees?"

Ask "what if" questions. "What would happen if we didn't shovel the snow?" "What if that butterfly
lands on your nose?"

Answer your child's endless "why" questions patiently. When you say, "I don't know, let's look it up,"
you show how important books are as resources for answering questions.

After your child tells you a story, ask questions so you can understand better. That way children learn
how to tell complete stories and know you are interested in what they have to say.

Expose your child to varied experiences – trips to the library, museum, or zoo; walks in the park; or visits
with friends and relatives. Surround these events with lots of comments, questions, and answers.

Talking enables children to expand their vocabulary and understanding of the world. The ability to carry
on a conversation is important for reading development. Remember, it is better to talk too much rather
than too little with a small child.

Activity 3: R and R – repetition and rhyme

Repetition makes books predictable, and young readers love knowing what comes next.

What you'll need:

Books with repeated phrases (Favorites are: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad
Day by Judith Viorst; Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr.; Horton Hatches the
Egg by Dr. Seuss; and The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper.

Short rhyming poems.

What to do:
Pick a story with repeated phrases or a poem you and your child like. For example, read:

(Wolf voice:) "Little pig, little pig, let me come in."

(Little pig:) "Not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin."

(Wolf voice:) "Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in!"

After the wolf has blown down the first pig's house, your child will soon join in with the refrain.

Read slowly, and with a smile or a nod, let your child know you appreciate his or her participation.

As the child grows more familiar with the story, pause and give him or her a chance to fill in the blanks
and phrases.

Encourage your child to pretend to read, especially books that contain repetition and rhyme. Most
children who enjoy reading will eventually memorize all or parts of a book and imitate your reading. This
is a normal part of reading development.

When children anticipate what's coming next in a story or poem, they have a sense of mastery over
books. When children feel power, they have the courage to try. Pretending to read is an important step
in the process of learning to read.

Activity 4: Poetry in motion

When children "act out" a good poem, they learn to love its rhyme, rhythm, and the pictures it paints
with a few well-chosen words. They grow as readers by connecting feelings with the written word.

What you'll need:

Poems that rhyme, tell a story, and/or are written from a child's point of view.

What to do:

Read a poem slowly to your child, and bring all your dramatic talents to the reading. (In other words,
"ham it up.")

If there is a poem your child is particularly fond of, suggest acting out a favorite line. Be sure to award
such efforts with delighted enthusiasm.
Suggest acting out a verse, a stanza, or the entire poem. Ask your child to make a face the way the
character in the poem is feeling. Remember that facial expressions bring emotion into the performer's
voice.

Be an enthusiastic audience for your child. Applause is always nice.

If your child is comfortable with the idea, look for a larger setting with an attentive, appreciative
audience. Perhaps an after-dinner "recital" for family members would appeal to your child.

Mistakes are a fact of life, so ignore them.

Poems are often short with lots of white space on the page. This makes them manageable for new
readers and helps to build their confidence.

Activity 5: Story talk

Talking about what you read is another way to help children develop language and thinking skills. You
won't need to plan the talk, discuss every story, or expect an answer.

What you'll need:

Storybooks

What to do:

Read slowly and pause occasionally to think aloud about a story. You can say: "I wonder what's going to
happen next!" Or ask a question: "Do you know what a palace is?" Or point out: "Look where the little
mouse is now."

Answer your children's questions, and if you think they don't understand something, stop and ask them.
Don't worry if you break into the flow of a story to make something clear. But keep the story flowing as
smooth as possible.

Talking about stories they read helps children develop their vocabularies, link stories to everyday life,
and use what they know about the world to make sense out of stories.

Activity 6: Now hear this

Children are great mimics. When you tell stories, your child will begin to tell stories, too.
What you'll need:

Your imagination

What to do:

Have your child tell stories like those you have told. Ask: "And then what happened?" to urge the story
along.

Listen closely when your child speaks. Be enthusiastic and responsive. Give your child full attention.

If you don't understand some part of the story, take the time to get your child to explain. This will help
your child understand the relationship between a speaker and a listener and an author and a reader.

Encourage your child to express himself or herself. This will help your child develop a richer vocabulary.
It can also help with pronouncing words clearly.

Having a good audience is very helpful for a child to improve language skills, as well as confidence in
speaking. Parents can be the best audience a child will ever have.

Activity 7: TV

Television can be a great tool for education. The keys to successful TV viewing are setting limits, making
good choices, taking time to watch together, discussing what you view, and encouraging follow-up
reading.

What you'll need:

A weekly TV schedule

What to do:

Limit your child's TV viewing and make your rules and reasons clear. Involve your child in choosing which
programs to watch. Read the TV schedule together to choose.

Monitor what your child is watching, and whenever possible, watch the programs with your child.

When you watch programs with your child, discuss what you have seen so your child can better
understand the programs.
Look for programs that will stimulate your child's interests and encourage reading (such as
dramatizations of children's literature and programs on wildlife and science.)

Many experts recommend that children watch no more than 10 hours of TV each week. Limiting TV
viewing frees up time for reading and writing activities.

It is worth noting that captioned TV shows can be especially helpful for children who are deaf or hard-of-
hearing, studying English as a second language, or having difficulty learning to read.

Activities for preschool through grade two: Moving into reading

Start with a Book

Check out Reading Rockets' new summer website, Start with a Book. You'll find a treasure trove of
themed children's books, parent–child activities, and other great resources for summer learning.

Activity 8: World of words

Here are a few ways to create a home rich in words.

What you'll need:

Paper

Pencils, crayons, markers

Glue

Newspapers, magazines

Safety scissors

What to do:

Hang posters of the alphabet on the bedroom walls or make an alphabet poster with your child. Print
the letters in large type. Capital letters are usually easier for young children to learn first.

Label the things in your child's pictures. If your child draws a picture of a house, label it with "This is a
house." and put it on the refrigerator.
Have your child watch you write when you make a shopping list or a "what to do" list. Say the words
aloud and carefully print each letter.

Let your child make lists, too. Help your child form the letters and spell the words.

Look at newspapers and magazines with your child. Find an interesting picture and show it to your child
as you read the caption aloud.

Create a scrapbook. Cut out pictures of people and places and label them.

By exposing your child to words and letters often, your child will begin to recognize the shapes of letters.
The world of words will become friendly.

Activity 9: Write on

Writing helps a child become a better reader, and reading helps a child become a better writer.

What you'll need:

Pencils, crayons, or markers

Paper or notebook

Chalkboard and chalk

What to do:

Ask your child to dictate a story to you. It could include descriptions of your outings and activities, along
with mementos such as fall leaves and flowers, birthday cards, and photographs. Older children can do
these activities on their own.

Use a chalkboard or a family message board as an exciting way to involve children in writing with a
purpose.

Keep supplies of paper, pencils, markers, and the like within easy reach.

Encourage beginning and developing writers to keep journals and write stories. Ask questions that will
help children organize the stories, and respond to their questions about letters and spelling. Suggest
they share the activity with a smaller brother, sister, or friend.

Respond to the content of children's writing, and don't be overly concerned with misspellings. Over time
you can help your child concentrate on learning to spell correctly.

When children begin to write, they run the risk of criticism, and it takes courage to continue. Our job as
parents is to help children find the courage. We can do it by expressing our appreciation of their efforts.
Activity 10: Look for books

The main thing is to find books you both love. They will shape your child's first impression of the world
of reading.

What you'll need:

Good books

What to do:

Ask friends, neighbors, and teachers to share the titles of their favorite books.

Visit your local public library, and as early as possible, get your child a library card. Ask the librarian for
help in selecting books. Have your child join you in browsing for books and making selections.

Look for award-winning books. Each year the American Library Association selects children's books for
the Caldecott Medal for illustrations and the Newbery Medal for writing.

Check the book review section of the newspapers and magazines for the recommended new children's
books.

If you and your child don't enjoy reading a particular book, put it aside and pick up another one.

Keep in mind that your child's reading level and listening level are different. When you read easy books,
beginning readers will soon be reading along with you. When you read more advanced books, you instill
a love of stories, and you build the motivation that transforms children into lifelong readers.

Activity 11: Read to me

It's important to read to your child, but equally important to listen to them read to you. Children thrive
on having someone appreciate their developing skills.

What you'll need:

Books at your child's reading level

What to do:

Listen carefully as your child reads.

Take turns. You read a paragraph and have your child read the next one or you read half the page and
your child reads the other half. As your child becomes more at ease with reading aloud, take turns
reading a full page. Keep in mind that your child may be focusing more on how to read the words than
what they mean, and your reading helps to keep the story alive.

If your child has trouble reading words, you can help him or her in several ways:

Ask the child to skip over the word, read the rest of the sentence, and then say what would make sense
in the story for the missing word.

Guide the child to use what he or she knows about letter sounds.

Supply the correct word.

Tell your child how proud you are of his or her efforts and skills.

Listening to your child read aloud provides opportunities for you to express appreciation of his or her
new skills and for them to practice their reading. Most importantly, this is another way to enjoy reading
together.

Activity 12: Family stories

Family stories enrich the relationship between parent and child.

What you'll need:

Time set aside for talking with your child.

What to do:

Tell your child stories about your parents and grandparents. You might even put these stories in a book
and add old family photographs.

Have your child tell you stories about what happened on special days, such as holidays, birthdays, and
family vacations.

Reminisce about when you were little. Describe things that happened at school involving teachers and
subjects you were studying. Talk about your brothers, sisters, or friends.

Write a trip journal with your child to create a new family story. Recording the day's events and pasting
the photographs into the journal ties the family story to a written record. You can include everyday trips
like going to the market or the park.
It helps for children to know that stories come from real people and are about real events. When
children listen to stories, they hear the voice of the storyteller. This helps them hear the words when
they learn to read aloud or read silently.

Activity 13: P.S. I love you

Something important happens when children receive and write letters. They realize that the printed
word has a purpose.

What you'll need:

Paper

Pencil, crayon, or marker

What to do:

Send your child little notes (by putting them in a pocket or lunch box, for example). When your child
shows you the note, read it aloud with expression. Some children will read the notes on their own.

When your child expresses a feeling or a thought that relates to a person, have your child write a letter.
Have your child dictate the words to you if your child doesn't write yet.

For example:

Dear Grandma,

I like it when you make ice cream. It's better than the kind we buy at the store.

Your grandson,

Darryl

P.S. I love you

Ask the people who receive these notes to respond. An oral response if fine – a written response is even
better.
Explain the writing process to your child: "We think of ideas and put them into words; we put the words
on paper; people read the words; and people respond."

Language is speaking listening, reading, and writing. Each element supports and enriches the others.
Sending letters will help children become better writers, and writing will make them better readers.

Activities for grades three through six: Encouraging the young reader

Activity 14: Good books make reading fun

Stories for young children should be of all kinds – folktales, funny tales, exciting tales, tales of the
wondrous and stories that tell of everyday things.

What you'll need:

A variety of interesting books

What to do:

An essential step in learning to read is good books read aloud. Parents who read aloud to their children
are teaching literacy concepts simply by sharing books. Encourage your children to listen, ponder, make
comments, and ask questions.

Be flexible enough to quickly abandon a book that does not appeal after a reasonable try at reading it.
No one is meant to enjoy every book. And no one, especially a child, should be forced to read or listen to
books that bore.

Even after children have outgrown picture books they still enjoy hearing a story read aloud. Hearing a
good story read well, especially if it is just a little beyond a child's own capabilities, is an excellent way to
encourage independent reading. Not all books are best read aloud; some are better enjoyed silently.

There are plenty of children's books that are twice as satisfying when they are shared a chapter at a time
before bed or during long car rides. There are some books that children should not miss, books that they
will want to hear many times and ultimately read for themselves.

Young children want to read what makes them laugh or cry, shiver and gasp. They must have stories and
poems that reflect what they themselves have felt. They need the thrill of imagining, of being for a time
in some character's shoes for a spine-tingling adventure. They want to experience the delight and
amazement that comes with hearing playful language. For children, reading must be equated with
enjoying, imagining, wondering, and reacting with feeling. If not, we should not be surprised if they
refuse to read. So let your child sometime choose the story or book that they want you to read to them.
Give your child many opportunities to read and write stories, lists, messages, letters, notes, and
postcards to relatives and friends. Since the skills for reading and writing reinforce one another, your
child's skills and proficiency in reading and writing will be strengthened if you help your child connect
reading to writing and writing to reading.

Activity 15: Artful artists

Children love to be creative when it comes to drawing, and illustrations add visual imagery to stories.

What you'll need:

Drawing paper

Pens and pencils

Magic markers or crayons

What to do:

Find a fable, fairy tale, or other short story for your child to read. Then ask your child to illustrate a part
of the story he or she likes best or describe a favorite character. Have the child dictate or write a few
sentences that tell about this picture.

Activity 16: Shopping your way with words

Use your weekly shopping trip as an opportunity to help your child develop reading and writing skills.

What you'll need:

Paper and pencils

Newspaper ads

Supermarket coupons

What to do:

As you make out your grocery shopping list, give your child a sheet of paper and read the items to him
or her. If the child asks for spelling help, write the words correctly for him or her to copy or spell the
words aloud as your child writes them.
Ask your child to look through the newspaper ads to find the prices of as many items as possible. Your
child can write these prices on the list and then look through your coupons to select the ones you can
use. Take your child to the supermarket and ask him or her to read each item to you as you shop.

Activity 17: Cookbooking

Cooking is always a delight for children, especially when they can eat the results!

What you'll need:

Easy-to-read recipes

Cooking utensils

Paper and pencils

What to do:

Show your child a recipe and go over it together. Ask your child to read the recipe to you as you work,
and tell the child that each step must be done in a special order. Let your child help mix the ingredients.
Allow your child to write down other recipes from the cookbook that he or she would like to help make.

Activity 18: Dictionary words

A dictionary is a valuable learning tool, especially if your child makes up his or her own booklet of words
that are challenging.

What you'll need:

Paper and pencils

A stapler

Old magazines

Newspaper and supplements

What to do:
Encourage your child to make a dictionary by putting together several sheets of paper for a booklet. Ask
your child to write at the top of each page a new word he or she has recently learned. If the word can be
shown in a picture, have him or her look through magazines and newspapers to find pictures that
illustrate the words and paste them on the correct pages.

Have your child write the meaning of each word and a sentence using each new word. Your child can
then use some or all of these sentences as the basis for a creative story. Have your child read this story
to you and other family members.

Activity 19: Journals

Keeping a journal is a way for your child to write down daily events and record his or her thoughts.

What you'll need:

Two notebooks - one for your child and one for you!

What to do:

Help your child start a journal. Say what it is and discuss topics that can be written about, such as
making a new friend, an interesting school or home activity just completed, or how your child felt on the
first day of school. Encourage your child to come up with other ideas. Keep a journal yourself and
compare notes at the end of the week. You and your child each can read aloud parts of your journals
that you want to share.

Activity 20: Greetings and salutations

Everyone loves to get mail, especially when the card has been personally designed.

What you'll need:

Paper and pencils

Crayons and magic markers

Stamps and envelopes

What to do:

Ask your child to list the birthdays of family members, relatives, and friends. Show your child some
store-bought birthday cards with funny, serious, or thought-provoking messages. Your child can then
create his or her own birthday card by using a folded piece of paper, making an attractive cover, and
writing a short verse inside. Then your child can mail the cards to friends and relatives for their
birthdays.

Activity 21: Giving the gift of reading

Reading a book is more fun when you have a homemade bookmark to mark your spot.

What you'll need:

Pieces of lightweight cardboard

Pens and pencils

Paper

Crayons and magic markers

What to do:

Provide your child with a piece of cardboard about 6" long and 2" wide. On one side of the bookmark,
have your child draw a picture of a scene from a book he or she has read. On the other side, ask your
child to write the name of the book, its author, publisher, publication date, and a few sentences about
the book. After making several of these bookmarks, you might ask the child to send them to friends and
relatives as gifts accompanied by a short note.

Activity 22: Let your fingers do the walking

The telephone book contains a wealth of information and is a good tool for reading and writing.

What you'll need:

A telephone book, including the yellow pages

Paper and pencils

What to do:
Have your child look through the yellow pages of the telephone directory, select a particular service, and
write a clever or funny ad for it. Have your child read this ad to you. Help your child to find your own or
a friend's listing in the white pages of the telephone book. Explain the different entries (for example, last
name and address), along with the abbreviations commonly used.

Activity 23: Map your way to success

Children love to read road maps and this activity actually helps them with geography.

What you'll need:

A road map or atlas

Paper and pencil

Stamps and envelopes

What to do:

When planning a vacation, let your child see the road map and help you plan where you will drive. Talk
about where you will start and where you will end up. Let your child follow the route between these two
points. Encourage your child to write to the Chamber of Commerce for brochures about places you will
see on your trip.

Activity 24: What's in the news?

Newspapers are a form of daily communication with the outside world, and provide lots of learning
activities for children.

What you'll need:

Newspapers

Scissors

Colored pencils

What to do:

Clip out an interesting news story and cut the paragraphs apart. Ask your child to read the paragraphs
and put them in order.
Ask your child to read a short editorial printed in your local newspaper and to underline all the facts
with a green pencil and all the opinions with an orange pencil.

Pictures fascinate children of all ages. Clip pictures in the newspaper. Ask your child to tell you about the
picture or list adjectives to describe the picture.

Do you take your child to the movies? Have your child first look up the movie page by using the index in
the newspaper. After a movie has been chosen, have your child study the picture or text in the ad and
tell you what he or she thinks the movie is about.

Have your child pick a headline and turn it into a question. Then the child can read the article to see if
the question is answered.

Ask your child to clip food coupons from the newspaper for your grocery shopping trips. First, talk about
which products you use and which you do not. Then the child can cut out the right coupons and putt
hem into categories such as drinks and breakfast items. You can then cash in the coupons at the store.

Pick out an interesting article from the newspaper. As you are preparing lunch or dinner, tell your child
that you are busy and ask him or her to read the article to you.

Many newspapers publish materials especially written for children, such as the syndicated "Mini Page,"
"Pennywhistle Press," and "Dynamite Kids." In addition, some newspapers publish weekly columns for
children, as well as tabloids and summer supplements written by educators.

Activity 25: Using television to stimulate reading

What child doesn't enjoy watching TV? Capitalize on this form of entertainment and use TV to help
rather than hinder your child's learning.

Some important ideas to consider before turning on the TV: Limit in some way the amount of TV your
child watches so as to leave time for reading and other activities. Decide how much time should be set
aside for watching TV each day.

Serve as an example by limiting the amount of TV you yourself watch. Have time when the TV set is off
and the entire family reads something. You may want to watch TV only for special shows. Before the TV
set is turned on, encourage your child to select the programs he or she wishes to watch. Ask your child
to give you the reason for the choices made.

In addition, watch some of the same TV programs your child watches. This helps you as a parent share in
some of your child's daily activities.
What you'll need:

A TV

A TV selection guide

Colored highlighters

A calendar page for each month

Paper and pencils

What to do:

Ask your child to tell you about favorite TV characters using different kinds of words.

As your child watches commercials on television, ask him or her to invent a product and write slogans or
an ad for it.

Encourage your child to watch such programs as Reading Rainbow. Urge older children to watch such
programs as 60 Minutes and selected documentaries. These programs are informative. Discuss
interesting ideas covered in the programs and direct your child to maps, encyclopedias, fiction, or
popular children's magazines for more information.

Have your child name 10 of his or her favorite shows. Ask your child to put them into categories
according to the type of show they are, such as family shows, cartoons, situation comedies, sports,
science fiction, or news and information. If you find the selection is not varied enough, you might
suggest a few others that would broaden experiences.

Prepare a monthly calendar with symbols such as a picture of the sun to represent an outdoor activity or
a picture of a book to represent reading. Each time your child engages in a daily free time activity,
encourage him or her to paste a symbol on the correct calendar date. This will give you an idea of how
your child spends his or her free time. It also encourages a varied schedule.

Ask each child in your family to pick a different color. Using the TV listing, have each child use this color
to circle one TV program that he or she wants to watch each day. Alternate who gets first choice. This
serves two purposes. It limits the amount of time watching TV and it encourages discriminating viewing.

Devise a rating scale from 1 to 5. Ask your child to give a number to a certain TV program and to explain
why such a rating was given.

Have your child keep a weekly TV log and write down five unfamiliar words heard or seen each week.
Encourage your child to look up the meanings of these words in the dictionary or talk about them with
you.
Kameenui, E. J., & Simmons, D. C. (May, 1997). Read*Write*Now! Activities for Reading and Writing Fun.
A Joint Project of the U.S. Department of Education, the American Library Association, Pizza Hut, Inc.,
Scholastic, Inc., Reading Is Fundamental, Inc.

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/25-activities-reading-and-writing-fun

Reading strategy in Norway

In order to achieve a more comprehensive approach and a long-term strategy to promote literature in
Norway, the Ministry of Cultural and Church Affairs and the Ministry of Research and Education have
begun to co-operate more closely. Through the national programme for arts and culture in education
(Den kulturelle skolesekken) and the initiative Make Room for Reading, they have made funding
available for projects aimed at stimulating interest in reading and promoting literature. Resources are to
be better utilised, ideas for projects are to be improved and developed, and the existing professional
networks are to be used far more strategically.

Den kulturelle skolesekken

This project, which translates roughly as the cultural schoolbag, is Norway’s national programme for arts
and culture in education. A result of co-operation between the Ministry of Cultural and Church Affairs
and the Ministry of Research and Education, this project is aimed at “providing each and every
schoolchild with broad and regular contact with professional cultural activities”. One of the criteria for
success is that the educational and cultural sectors should co-operate at all levels; locally, regionally and
nationally.

In 2003 the funding available for stimulating an interest in reading amounted to NOK 5 million.
Approximately 16% of these funds went directly to the library sector. Libraries are also often co-
operating partners in other projects but only in a subordinate role. The following are a few examples of
literary projects which have received grants from the national programme for arts and culture in
education.

A year for reading

The association “!les” (!read) – www. foreningenles.no – has been granted financial support for its
project A year for reading. The aim of the project is to persuade more people to read more books, to
promote a wider knowledge of Norwegian literature and, above all, to inspire young people to enter the
world of literature. The association intends to use A year for reading to set in motion a number of
initiatives which can continue beyond the year of the project. These include a Norwegian national
reading championship, a Young People’s Prize for Literature, a scheme for voluntary helpers and a
Festival Relay. In this way the project will not only provide one year of inspiration for many but will also
be of lasting value for the promotion of Norwegian literature.

United in the pleasure of reading

Politicians are very concerned about the fact that boys between the ages of 10 and 16 often become
literary dropouts. Grants have therefore been offered to projects aimed at encouraging boys to read
more. The public library in Kristiansund has obtained financial support for its project United in the
pleasure of reading. The intention is to use well-known, literate football players as role models and
promoters of an interest in reading among boys in the three final years at school. The players will visit
schools on several occasions, setting up reading competitions with prizes and signed diplomas. In good
football tradition the plan is to have several divisions offering promotion to a higher division as a reward
for greater reading.

Not simply words, but also money!

Make Room for Reading Project

This project, planned to last for the period 2003 – 2007, has been allocated an annual budget of NOK 20
million.

The National Programme for Arts and Culture in Education

In 2003 a sum of NOK 60 million was set aside to finance artistic and cultural initiatives in schools
throughout the country. By 2005 this amount will have been increased to NOK 180 million. In 2003 the
Archive, Library and Museum Authority was provided with a total of NOK 24 million to fund national
projects, 5 million of which went towards promoting and improving reading skills.

Winston Churchill is quoted as once having said that there is no finer investment for any community
than putting milk into babies. Following the same line of thought, Norway’s one-time Minister of
Culture, Ellen Horn, suggested that there is no better investment than giving children the desire and
enjoyment of reading.
Den kulturelle skolesekken

Make room for reading

The Ministry of Research and Education’s initiative Make Room for Reading – a strategy to promote the
desire to read and to improve reading skills 2003-2007 provides a list of 38 concrete measures to place
reading on the agenda. Since this programme is initiated by the school sector it has greater emphasis on
the teaching of children to read as compared to the national programme for arts and culture in
education. Nevertheless the two programmes do overlap to some extent, as can be seen from No 2 in
the list of measures proposed in Make Room for Reading.

“Procedure

It is important to stimulate pleasure in reading, particularly where boys in the 13-16 age range are
concerned, by introducing measures which make reading interesting. Schools should be encouraged to
set aside time for reading every day without making conditions as to what must be read or how.
Meetings with authors, writing workshops, dramatisation and narration can provide an extra stimulus to
school work. Advantage can be taken of the national programme for arts and culture in education when
introducing such initiatives. School teachers should ensure that their schools are able to create and
maintain good libraries. A school library which is open during school hours, possesses a wide and
interesting collection, offers a good range of other material and is run by a competent librarian, will
prove a significant factor in enhancing the pupils’ pleasure in reading and in improving reading skills.

Organiser/responsible person: The Norwegian Board of Education, school authorities, head teachers.
Time frame: Continuous”

Other aspects of the programme where libraries come in as co-operating partners and advisers on
appropriate requirements are for example “national network”, “greater parent participation” and
“voluntary assistance”. The following is an example of a project which satisfies the criteria set both by
the national programme for arts and culture in education and by Make Room for Reading.

Creating readers

There is the problem that teachers find it difficult to remain updated on new Norwegian literature for
children and young people. The Bergen Public Library has received funding for Creating readers, a
project directed at a selection of teachers and their 4th year classes in the Bergen elementary schools.
The aim of the project is to improve the teachers’ knowledge about new, current literature for children
and young people and to promote the presentation of literature in general. To achieve this aim the
library will assist 50 or so teachers at 4th class level in 21 elementary schools in their efforts to improve
the reading skills of their pupils.

The nature of the work consists of close monitoring and co-operation with the teachers in connection
with their individual preparation of lessons, although always on the terms of the teachers and in relation
to the school syllabus. The library will place at the teachers’ disposal the methods and expertise of the
librarians with regard to fiction and non-fiction for children. The project requires the librarians involved
to familiarise themselves closely with teaching programmes and syllabus requirements, not least the
arrangements and working methods of each individual school.

Interest for such initiatives to improve reading skills has been more than satisfactory. Although only NOK
5 million was available to assist projects, total applications amounted to NOK 60 million; clear evidence
of the scale of involvement. We can only hope that interest among politicians will be maintained and
that the projects now set in motion will prove successful.We must ensure that the funds are used to the
greatest direct benefit of each individual pupil and that these projects lead to many active and
enthusiastic new readers.

References

The National Programme for Arts and Culture in Education - www.denkulturelleskolesekken.no

Foreningen !les (Association “Read!”) – www.foreningenles.no

OECD’s Program for International Students Assessment (PISA) is concerned with establishing reliable
indicators in order to compare the abilities of 15-year-old pupils in the three main subjects of reading,
mathematics and the natural sciences. In the course of the year 2000, 270,000 pupils participated, 4,147
of these being from Norway. In that particular year reading was the main subject under assessment.

http://www.pisa.oecd.org

http://www.ils.uio.no/forskning/pisa
“Make Room for Reading” Project - http://www.odin.dep.no/ufd/norsk/publ/handlingsplaner/045071-
220011/index-dok000-b-n-a.html

http://slq.nu/?article=libraries-vital-to-stimulate-and-improve-reading-skills

https://www.edutopia.org/article/6-techniques-building-reading-skills-susan-barber

TEACH CLOSE READING SKILLS

Guide students in annotation by directing them to do more than highlight or underline. Encourage
students to have a conversation with the text by jotting notes on the text while reading—this keeps
students engaged and often increases comprehension. Annotations can include:

Defining new words

Asking questions

Coding recurring words and themes

Making personal connections to the text

Citing current events

Highlighting heading and subheadings

Summarizing paragraphs

Chunking

Categorizing information

Numbering and ordering

Drawing pictures

The list of possibilities is endless—the point is to have students form their own process when
approaching a text. But don’t be afraid to give students specific annotation guidelines such as “annotate
the writer’s characterization techniques” or “find examples of . . .” to help them focus. Annotations also
help students identify which strategies work best for them as they try to process and understand
information. The clip “Girls Read Comic” from The Big Bang Theory is a great way to introduce the
concept of reading closely and its importance.
APPEAL TO THE SENSES

While reading is the work of the mind, incorporating the senses provides extra reinforcement for
students who are still growing their skills. Reading passages aloud and verbalizing questions you would
mentally ask while reading can be a great benefit to students. Students often have no idea how to ask
questions, what type of questions to ask, or the frequency of questions, so modeling this skill is
invaluable. This can be further reinforced especially for visual learners by using a document camera or
overhead projector to write questions, mark key words and phrases, and interact with a text. And as
always, encourage students to read with a pen or pencil in hand.

GUIDE STUDENTS IN SETTING READING GOALS

While writing goals are used regularly in the classroom, students do not assess personal reading skills on
a regular basis. Begin the year by having students write a reader’s biography to gain insight into their
reading habits, struggles, and successes; this serves as a foundation for discussions on setting reading
goals. After reading a novel, nonfiction text, short story, or poetry unit, help students evaluate their
reading skills: Did you feel confident reading the text? Why or why not? What parts of the text gave you
trouble? Could you have used a different strategy to make reading the text easier? Students should
evaluate goals on a regular basis and create new goals based on their needs and growth.

VARY TEXT LENGTH

When approaching a particularly difficult text, break it up and offer it in shorter segments. Students
often become discouraged with lengthy texts that require intense concentration. Giving smaller
segments allows the students to digest chunks in pieces, acquire academic vocabulary, and build
confidence.

OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHOICE READING

Simply put, the best way to improve reading is to read, and students are more likely to read when they
have a choice in the reading. Newsela and CommonLit offer a variety of nonfiction articles for choice
(and CommonLit includes fiction as well); both sites include articles with various grade levels and across
multiple disciplines. Classroom libraries built from donations, garage sales, and thrift shops encourage
students to take books for personal reading. Ask students about their interests and make
recommendations. Reading for pleasure builds transferable skills for content reading and should be
encouraged, including in class.

ASSESS CONTENT AND SKILL

Students should be able to demonstrate their skills in assessment, whether it’s formal or informal,
formative or summative. Recall and comprehension questions are a good way to check for basic
understanding, but teachers should then move to the harder how and why questions. Choose activities
that require students to dig deep into a text, such as:

Facilitate a socratic discussion.

Create a playlist for a character.

Write a formal essay.

Make a meme for a character.

Present a mini-TED talk on research inspired by a text.

Create a mind map, literary 3x3, or infographic.

Most teachers already incorporate skill building in their classes to some degree; however, taking time to
discuss and actively engage students in the process will keep skill development at the forefront of
learning. The result will be students who not only make gains in reading but also have an understanding
of how to become better readers.

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LITERACY

Improving Reading Outcomes for Economically Disadvantaged Students

A teacher at a Title I school shares classroom and school-wide strategies to improve students’ reading
trajectories.

By Heather Butters

November 6, 2018

Two students reading a book together

For an elementary school teacher who works with economically disadvantaged students, it can be
discouraging to hear phrases like “significant achievement gap” or “30-million-word gap” in discussions
of the reading and vocabulary development of our students. But research does bear those phrases out:
There are clear trends of underachievement in academics for students of low socioeconomic status
(SES).

I’ve taught in a Title I school in Northern Virginia for six years, with experience in fourth through sixth
grades, and year after year, I work with students who are reading drastically below grade level. There
are many things that affect my students that I can’t control, but research has shown that strong,
intentional, and explicit instruction can positively impact the reading trajectories of all students,
especially those with economic disadvantages.