What’s New @ the Reading Tub, Part 1

Have you had a chance to toodle around the new Reading Tub website? No? That’s okay. Join our tour! Today’s topic is Resources.

Whatever you’re looking for – from book lists to literacy tips – you are just a few clicks away from finding what you need. Rest assured that our content is continually being updated, too. I am always on the lookout for articles, tips, and videos that not only inform, but offer how-to’s and ideas for incorporating literacy into daily family life.

Literacy Resources Library

The hub of our resource library is right under the Literacy Tab. Everything is organized topically to make it easy for you to find what you need.

We will visit each of these areas on our tour, but we’ll stop a moment so you can read What is Literacy?

That gives you the context for what you’ll find in our library.

Here are the other Quicklinks in this section. Take your time reading these ideas, we’ll wait up.

• Tips for Raising Readers is a curated list of tips (from 3 to 103) and articles that answer the “how do i” questions.
• Why Does My Kid Struggle explains some of the things that can impact a child’s reading development.
• Reading Activities has seven ideas for incorporating literacy into daily family life. Quick to read, easy to do!

 

Going Beyond Books

Just as we learn to read at different rates, we also learn in different ways. Some of us are visual, some of us auditory, and some of us are tactile.

Beyond Books helps you match your child’s learning style with a literacy tool.

• Want some stories to take on the road this summer? Check out the lists of Audio and Podcast resources.
• Trying to engage a preteen and get them excited about picking up a book? Share a book video, let them visit an author or illustrator’s website, or suggest they meet one of their favorite authors [Goes to Adolescent Literacy website.]
• Another idea: use movies! We have a list of books that have become movies.

Creative Literacy

Where Beyond Books gives you resources, Creative Literacy takes you to the next level.

These ideas strengthen reading skills with activities that are more focused on broader learning. Sometimes it doesn’t even look like an activity related to literacy.

Case in point: coloring. Holding a crayon today is a way of building fine motor skills needed for writing with a pencil tomorrow.

• Want to know how to start a book club or get suggestions on great book club books? Click here.
• From music, songs, and wordplay to online puzzles, history games, and book-related activities, our Games and Activities pages have you covered.
• Multi-media Tools is a collection of sites that site cross mix text, illustrations or graphics, and motion content. Hopefully one day we can add Apps, but for now it’s websites.
• Want to write a Dr. Seuss book or draw your own comics? There are sites for that. You’ll find a nice collection on our Sites that Encourage Writing page.

(More) Resources

Think of this as your personal reference library. Whatever you’re looking for, this is your reading room. This is a curated collection of materials.

Did you spot that the Multi-media Tools page is listed again? Good eye! That is by design. Our goal is to make it easy for you as a parent or caregiver to find what you need. We don’t want you to miss these resources!

If you have a favorite resource we haven’t included, drop me a line.

• Find a book about helping your child become a strong reader.
• See examples of parents reading with children.
• Better understand what literacy means and “decode” the educational jargon about reading.
• Get some extra homework help for your child.
• See how educators and librarians incorporate literacy into their classrooms and school libraries.

The Library

There is no greater resource in our community than the library. Whether you are an avid library user or someone who hasn’t been in a long while, this section of the website is for you.

Another suggestion: get to know your local librarian and your child’s school librarian.

• They will help teach your child how to use the library.
• They know books (!) and are a great resource when you are looking for a “surefire” hit on a topic that your child loves.
• Story times and other activities not only introduce and reinforce learning, they can be a living model for you in ways to read with and/or engage your child with books.

Last but not least, if you are interested in supporting literacy programs in your area, whether through donations or as a volunteer, you can find a list of them right here.

That concludes our tour for today. We hope you enjoyed this short walk around the new Reading Tub website. We will be back again soon. Until then, if you have questions, ideas, or observations be sure to leave a comment below or send me an email.