Literacy-Rich Households

"Teachers have children for about 30 hours a week. Families have their children for the other 138 hours. What happens in families outside of school plays a big role in the success a child will have in learning to read" (Morrow, 419). Learning to read can be hard enough but if the household of these young children are not actively involved in the child's learning process then the child may find it hard to succeed when it comes to learning to read.
So, what does a literacy rich household look like? In a home that promotes literacy, books are everywhere. There are many different types of books all throughout the house. Along with books, there are many other items that the household has to help with the children's development. Literacy-rich environments include: pencils, markers, paper, crayons, and paint. At a young age, children begin drawing and writing. Even though young children may not be able to write legible letters, the key is that children understand the difference between writing and drawing.
Environmental print is another part of a literacy-rich household. Environment print is used in the classroom but can be more helpful if it is used in the household as well. Creating grocery list with your child and going to the grocery store can help tremendously when it comes to learning to read. Children learn to recognize signs, logos, and billboards. Parents must actively point on environmental print to their child. By doing so, the child's awareness of the print around them will be greater.
Children in literacy-rich households will ask many questions and make comments, the parents jobs is to answer those questions and further the discussion. Discussion about print can only help being more awareness to literacy. The more a child immersed in literacy rich environments that better. Although a teacher has an important job to do when it comes to teaching a child to read, the household that the child lives in must pull its' weight. A child that developed in an environment that fostered literacy through the guidance and support of adults in their household, have a higher vocabulary and more reading skills than those who were not. A child's family is their first teacher. Parents who are actively involved in their child's learning have children who will succeed.