We love supporting Read Aloud, a national campaign that encourages reading aloud each day for fifteen minutes from birth. Reading aloud is “the single most important activity” that parents can do with their children. In fact, research shows that by age three, there is a gap between early brain development in children whose parents read to them and those who did not.
Why a National Campaign?
To “change the face of education!” In 2014, the American Academy of Pediatrics reviewed research surrounding reading aloud to children and found the benefits to be profound. For the first time, they recommended reading aloud daily as part of a child’s routine from birth; just like diaper changes and bathing, it’s a necessity! Watch the Why a National Campaign? video for more information.
Be a Voice for Reading Aloud
As an education leader, you can take part in the July 2018 “Seize the Summer” Read Aloud campaign by being a voice and sharing their content with your community. Explore Read Aloud’s 2018 toolkit, which provides materials like bookmarks, posters and more in English and Spanish that you can utilize to build awareness. One of the easiest and best ways to do this in on your social media accounts!
Read Aloud has also partnered with Collaborative Summer Library Programs to provide a comprehensive summer reading program for nearly 16,000 public libraries nationwide. You can share their handout and summer reading list with parents and caregivers to encourage them to visit their local library and participate in summer reading!
Be sure to follow Read Aloud and Waterford on Facebook to share the campaign’s content as it comes out.
