Every year our Adult Literacy Program students learn to read children’s books in a fun, interactive way to boost family literacy practices at home. A couple classes also get the chance to read to University Settlement day care classes (see the video above). Adult Literacy Program students specifically learn before, during, and after reading strategies that they can use at home in order to make reading a meaningful, exciting family activity. Here are a few:

BEFORE READING STRATEGIES:

Talk about the title, author, and illustrator.

Ask questions about the cover.

Talk about the pictures on the cover.

Have children make predictions about what they think the book is going to be about.

DURING READING STRATEGIES:

Change your voice and use body language.

Point at the words as you read.

Ask more questions to check comprehension and build on children’s prior knowledge.

Ask questions about the pictures and make more predictions.

Have children repeat after you.

AFTER READING STRATEGIES:

Review important vocabulary.

Have children summarize/retell the story.

Ask more questions connected to children’s own experiences.

Have children play a game or create art based on the topic of the book.

TRY THESE YOURSELF AT HOME TODAY!