Family Literacy Project: Resources

The following are some suggested web sites to visit for family literacy-related resources:.

1. The International Reading Association (IRA) provides resources for parents that are available to download in both English and Spanish. www.reading.org/resources/tools/parent.html 

2. Just Read, Families! Florida’s resources (library, reading, FCAT, summer reading lists) for families, children, and teens in English and in Spanish. http://www.justreadfamilies.org/ 

3. The Florida Literacy Coalition promotes, supports and advocates for the effective delivery of quality adult and family literacy services in the state of Florida. http://www.floridaliteracy.org/ 

4. The National Center for Family Literacy provides information and support about initiatives that support life improvement for the nation's most disadvantaged children and parents. http://www.famlit.org 

5. Parent resources on how to prepare children for school, facilitate reading development, support learning, help with homework, and help children succeed. http://www.ed.gov/parents/landing.jhtml 

6. 100 Home-School Activities Literacy for Kindergarten. Find information about reading and literacy skills activities parents can use to support their kindergarten student. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/CompactforReading/tablek.html 

7. 100 Home-School Activities Literacy for First Grade. This site provides reading and literacy skills activities parents can use to support their first grade student. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/CompactforReading/table1.html 

8. 100 Home-School Activities Literacy for Second Grade. This site provides reading and literacy skills activities parents can use to support their second grade student. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/CompactforReading/table2.html 

9. 100 Home-School Activities Literacy for Third Grade. This site provides reading and literacy activities parents can use to support their third grade student. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/CompactforReading/table3.html 

10. Reading Rockets offers information and resources on how young children learn to read and what adults can do to help. It is produced by WETA and funded by a major grant from the U.S. Department of Education. www.readingrockets.org 

11. Five ways to raise a reader. http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=2069 

12. Scholastic’s books and reading (book lists, read aloud tips, and learning tips, grades preK-8) for parents. http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/booksandreading.jsp 

13. Planning a literacy read aloud event for families. http://literacynetwork.verizon.org/fileadmin/popups/read_aloud_event.html 

14. Helping welfare parents move into the workforce. http://literacynetwork.verizon.org/fileadmin/popups/helping_parents.htm 

15. The Child Development Institute provides information for parents on child development from infants to teenagers. www.cdipage.com 

16. ¡Colorín Colorado! This bilingual English-Spanish site provides valuable information, activities, and advice for Spanish-speaking parents and educators of English language learners. It is the companion site to Reading Rockets, and is funded by the U.S. Department of Education. www.colorincolorado.org/homepage.php 

17. The Beginning With Books Center for Early Literacy provides information about early literacy development and reading to young children. www.beginningwithbooks.org 

18. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) provides resources for educators and parents of children birth to age eight. www.naeyc.org 

19. The National Even Start Association provides resources to support family literacy and community literacy. www.evenstart.org 

20. The National Head Start Association (NHSA) provides a national forum for supporting low income families and their children (birth-5). www.nhsa.org 

21. The Reading is Fundamental (RIF) uses support from the U.S. Department of Education and other organizations to provide over 200 million books in the hands and homes of children who need them most. http://www.rif.org 

22. Resources for families—reading programs, tips, television programs, where to find quality books, home and school activities. http://forpd.ucf.edu/parents/index.aspx 

23. Family and parent organizations. http://forpd.ucf.edu/parents/org_links.aspx

24. Planning a Read-Aloud Event for Families.
    Learn about how to plan a successful read-aloud event for families.
    http://literacynetwork.verizon.org/fileadmin/popups/read_aloud_event.html
25. Involving Parents to Impact Student Achievement. Gather ideas on how to involve parents in their child’s education.
    http://literacynetwork.verizon.org/fileadmin/popups/parent_involvement.html
26. Basic Intergenerational Financial Literacy. In this site you will find ideas and resources on how to build basic intergenerational financial literacy.
    http://literacynetwork.verizon.org/fileadmin/popups/bifl.htm 
27. PACT Time with School-Aged Children & Their Parents. See information on PACT time.
    http://literacynetwork.verizon.org/fileadmin/download/factsheet_PACT.pdf 
28. National Literacy Trust: Reading Connects! Examine this site for information and resources on how to build whole school reading communities.
    http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/readingconnects/index.html 
29. Family Involvement Toolkit. This comprehensive family literacy toolkit from the UK is designed for educators. Topics include how to manage a family literacy program, how to assist parents, establish effective communications, practical ideas for educators, and how to encourage parents to get involved in their child’s education.
    http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/readingconnects/Family_Involvement_Toolkit.pdf
30. Your Child: Development and Behavior Resources. This web site is designed especially for parents as a guide to Internet information on children’s development and behavior.
    http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/index.htm 
31. Beginning with Books: Center for Early Literacy. This site includes many tips for reading to young children, facts, and resources about early literacy.
    http://www.beginningwithbooks.org/ 
32. Tips for Parents. Parent tips for helping children to become good readers and writers.
    http://www.beginningwithbooks.org/tips-parents 
33. Family Literacy Special Connection: A Service of the National Institute for Literacy. Find a comprehensive list of resources on reading, activities, and ideas.
    http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/FamilyLit/parent_reading.html 
34. Family Literacy Special Connection: A Service of the National Institute for Literacy: Sites for Parents and Children. These resources include information about parenting issues, interactive children's activities, classroom materials, and more.
    http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/FamilyLit/parent_links.html 
35. The International Reading Association: Parent Resources. Here you will find comprehensive free parent brochures and booklets in English and in Spanish to download and print.
    http://www.reading.org/InformationFor/Parents.aspx 
36. Shirley Brice Heath (2010): Family Literacy or Community Learning? Some Critical Questions on Perspective
    http://www.reading.org/Publish.aspx?page=/publications/bbv/books/bk711/abstracts/bk711-1-heath.html&mode=redirect
37. The International Reading Association: Choices Booklists. See lists of titles and authors of Choices booklist selections (Children’s, Parents’, and Young Adults’ Choices).
    http://www.reading.org/Resources/Booklists.aspx 
38. What Kids Really Want to Read (International Reading Association, 2008). This is one in a series of brochures produced by IRA in response to questions that parents frequently ask about their children’s reading instruction.
    http://www.reading.org/Libraries/Parents/pb1073_want.sflb.ashx 
39. What Should I Read Aloud? A Guide to 200 Best-Selling Picture Books by Nancy A. Anderson (International Reading Association, 2007). This is a helpful resource for parents or teachers who are looking for guidance in selecting picture books for children. Using research conducted by Publishers Weekly, author Nancy A. Anderson compiled a list of children's picture books that have made the all-time best-selling list.
    http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/podcast-episodes/what-should-read-aloud-30254.html 
40. Parent and Afterschool Resources (Grades K-12). Find information on engaging ways to introduce children to reading or encouraging teens to write. See age-appropriate book suggestions that are fun, educational, and easy to use outside of school.
    http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/ 
41. Thinkfinity Offers a Summer Learning Feature to help parents encourage their children's learning throughout the summer months.  Verizon Thinkfinity (http://www.thinkfinity.org) has added a new Summer Learning feature offering everything from simple poems and songs to science experiments. Thinkfinity also offers free webinars both for educators and for general audiences in its Professional Development (http://www.thinkfinity.org/professional-development) section, as well as a Thinkfinity Community (http://community.thinkfinity.org/index.jspa) where educators can share ideas and connect with others. 
42. Visit the ReadWriteThink.org website (http://www.readwritethink.org), administered by IRA and the National Council of Teachers of English, for a wealth of resources directed specifically to the language arts teacher.
43. Is There Something I Could Buy That Would Help My Child to Read Better?(http://www.readingrockets.org/articles/56 ) Jim Trelease guides parents about the "Three B's" they can buy to help )their children become better readers.
44. The Right Choice for Kids by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAYEC) (http://www.rightchoiceforkids.org/ Learn about the right choices in children's toys, parent tips, and educator advice. The resources section provides a comprehensive list of Web site addresses for a number of national organizations that service young children and their families. (http://www.rightchoiceforkids.org/tips/parents/links)
45. How to Prevent Summer Reading Loss (from IRA):
    • Summer Reading Pals by Beverly Jean Borduin and Elizabeth Durie Cooper http://www.reading.org/downloads/publications/RTsummer1_Borduin.pdf
    • Keep students reading over the summer by getting books into their hands--and help them maintain (or gain) reading levels.
    • For Nine Months the Kids Go to School, But in Summer This School Goes to the Kids by Denise A. Malach and Robert A. Rutter http://www.reading.org/downloads/publications/RTsummer1_Malach.pdf 
    • To combat summer setback, create a classroom on wheels and take literacy learning on the road!
    • Teacher and Parent Scaffolding of Voluntary Summer Reading by Thomas G. White and James S. Kim http://www.reading.org/downloads/publications/RTsummer1_White.pdf 
    • Don't neglect scaffolding--an important part of getting the most from summer reading.
    • A Summer Reading Program for Second-Language Learners by Jo Ann Miles and John D. Sweetland http://www.reading.org/downloads/publications/RTsummer1_Miles.pdf
    • Use the Let's Read Together program to help English learners grow as readers--even after the school year ends.
    • Summer Reading Loss by Maryann Mraz and Timothy V. Rasinski http://www.reading.org/downloads/publications/RTsummer1_Mraz.pdf
    • Learn why summer reading loss occurs and what you can do to address it.
    • The Children's Choices booklists are available on the IRA website (http://www.reading.org/Resources/Booklists/ChildrensChoices.aspx). These book recommendations can really help kids find books they'll love reading this summer!
46. A Parent's Guide to Reading with your Child (http://www.famlit.org/families/free-resources)
47. Parent Involvement Podcasts (http://www.arcc.edvantia.org/page/ParentInvolvementPodcasts)
48. Parent Involvement: Explaining Key Staff Roles in Elementary Schools (PDF)
49. Cultivating Readers (PDF sample)
    This is a parent-friendly magazine, written by the National Center for Family Literacy with funding from Houghton Mifflin. It offers valuable information for developing young readers.
50. Celebrate Literacy Calendar (PDF)
    The calendar provides suggestions for fun parent-child year-long language and literacy activities (provided both in English and Spanish).
51. Become a Bookworm!
    http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahsbookclub/kidsreadinglist/20080701_orig_kids_books
52.  10 Ways to Make Reading Fun!
    http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahsbookclub/kidsreadinglist/slideshow1_ss_obc_reading

53. A Toolkit for Title I Parental Involvement http://www.sedl.org/pubs/catalog/items/family120.html

54. Thinkfinity Resources for All Grades Levels http://www.famlit.org/program-profiles/thinkfinity/

55. Reading Rockets Resources for Parents http://www.readingrockets.org/audience/parents

56. How to Create a Home Library http://www.readingrockets.org/article/26730

57. Tutoring and Volunteering  http://www.readingrockets.org/atoz/tutoring_volunteering

58. Signs of a Struggling Reader http://www.readingrockets.org/article/32375

59. Prepare Your Child for Testing  http://www.readingrockets.org/article/23154

60. 103 Things to Do Before/During/After Reading  http://www.readingrockets.org/article/82

61. Grocery Store Literacy Activities  http://www.readingrockets.org/article/33132

62. Reading Together  http://www.readingrockets.org/atoz/reading_together

63. Getting Dads Involved http://www.readingrockets.org/article/24181

64. Reading Tips for Parents (in 10+ Languages)  http://www.readingrockets.org/article/18935

65. Speaking in Tongues (Video)--A Documentary About Dual-Language Education   http://www.colorincolorado.org/multimedia/experts/podcasts/schneider

66. Immigrant Stories: Refugees Around the World http://www.colorincolorado.org/read/forkids/immigrants/refugees

67. Reaching Out to Parents--Free Guides and Toolkits http://www.colorincolorado.org/guides/

68. Join FRA Today!