Family Literacy: How To Improve A Child’s Reading

As we head into a new school year, you may be wondering, how can I improve my child’s reading skills? Family literacy works on the literacy of an entire family, positively impacting the child. 

What is family literacy?

Family literacy is about parents or grandparents showing children how literacy is important for life. This means children can see their parents reading regularly. The higher a parent’s literacy level and the more they read, the more likely a child will read. Parents, grandparents, and even older siblings model the importance of reading and learning.

Can we improve children’s literacy through their parents?

Yes, we can. When children spend 5 times as much time outside of school, parents have an enormous impact on them. A mother’s reading skills are the greatest factor in a child’s future academic success. Also, children who have parents that involve them in family literacy activities score 10 points higher on standardized reading tests. Did you know kids who have parents that read 5-7 days a week are more likely to read frequently? Parents and family model good behaviours to children, impacting their literacy levels for life. 

What can parents do?

One of the best things a parent can do is learn and improve their own reading skills. At home, they can read regularly, which teaches kids the value of reading. For younger kids, read together or to them as much as possible. Just 20 minutes a day has a huge impact! Visiting the library regularly lets your child find books they’re interested in reading. The library also has a number of programs for children and even teens. 

We can now see how important family literacy is. A parent is a child’s best role model, and the impact they have on a child is for life. Your reading habits and your literacy levels will impact your kid, so do your best to improve them.

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