Dear Families,
Last night, we held our second Happy Hour Book Club, this time about The Dyslexic Advantage by Brock and Fernette Eide. I’ve read this book several times by now and my work as an educator has been greatly influenced by the authors’ focus on the neurological underpinnings of dyslexia and their asset-minded orientation to learning differences. I can’t say it enough: if you are the parent of a dyslexic child, you should read this book!
I wasn’t the only one in a book club this week. We have two student book clubs that meet weekly, both run entirely by student leaders. One group is dedicated to the American Girl Book Series and the other is a general book club for middle division students (currently reading Swindle by Gary Korman). Given a national (and some would say, international) decline in reading and reading attitudes, it’s exciting to see so many students jazzed to come together to talk about books!
If you’re interested in boosting the reading of the children in your family, try these tips:
- Encourage kids to read what interests them.
- Don’t be overly protective of the reading level–a little challenge is a good thing
- Try audiobooks! Audible has a great collection. This boosts comprehension without relying on decoding skills. It’s also great for long car rides over the holidays!
- Read together (Start a family book club!)
With the holidays fast approaching, the extra downtime could be a great chance to start up one or more of these practices. I certainly hope to get some reading in. With that in mind, I’m always looking for good recommendations myself! Send your favorites my way!
Warmly,
Alli
