Children connect with stories and themes that they know. If something is recognizable to them in a book, they will often relate to it in a way that draws similarities to the people and events in their own lives. Through this familiarity, reading becomes more enjoyable and serves a stronger purpose towards promoting successful literacy outcomes. Teachers who work with … Read More
Bilingual Books: The Secret Recipe for Family Literacy with Hispanics
Literacy begins in the home. Parents who begin to read to their children from a very young age make great strides in the child’s educational and social evolution later on. Reading to a child promotes successful outcomes for literacy even before they start their first day of kindergarten. This is true for families of all languages, backgrounds and cultures. For … Read More
White House Supporting Dual Language Learners in Early Learning Settings
The White House has a new Federal policy statement from the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Education on better supporting our country’s youngest Dual Language Learners (DLLs) in early childhood programs. The White House is joined by public and private sector organizations that are also committed to support DLLs. Additionally, the White House, in collaboration with Too … Read More
Three Traits of a Good Children’s Book
Children’s books quite literally come in all shapes and sizes, as well as all tones of voice, types of plots, and levels of vocabulary. The questions of what makes one book more important, popular, or simply better than another is widely debated—but here are three characteristics that many good children’s books possess. 1. An Interesting, Relatable Story The story in … Read More
3 Ways Bilingual Books Benefit Spanish Speaking Parents
Books that are bilingual are excellent resources for Spanish speaking parents and their children. By including and honoring two languages, these books welcome and invite native Spanish speaking adults to develop their English literacy alongside their children. Here are three ways that bilingual books can serve Spanish speaking parents: Parents Will Learn Vocabulary Along With Their Children: Spanish speaking parents … Read More
What is the Day of the Dead?
The Day of the Dead is a holiday celebrated in central and southern Mexico and other Latin American countries during November 1st and November 2nd. It coincides with All Soul’s & All Saint’s Day which are more catholic holidays, but the indigenous people have combined this with their own ancient beliefs of honoring their deceased loved ones. The core idea … Read More