Its summer! And, at the Beatrice Public Library, we are halfway through our summer reading program. According to the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), summer reading programs began in the 1890s as a way to encourage school children to read during their summer vacation. Unless, of course, you were helping out on the family farm.
The activities offered at the Beatrice Public Library are designed for fun and learning to combat the “Summer Slide”. The summer slide might sound like a fun activity but it is the tendency for school-age children to lose some of the learning progress they made during the school year.
Research has shown that on average a student can lose one month of learning over the summer months. So, bring the kids to the library for fun and learning. We collaborate with the Gage County Extension for fun educational programs. Aaron Fowler will be educating us on the Oceans of Possibilities through music. Our Youth Services Librarian has school-age activities offered on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons at 2:00 pm as well as her normal family storytime on Wednesday mornings at 10:30 am. If you want to get out of the heat and watch a movie, we have movies on Thursday afternoons, and while you’re here why not check out a book or two.
Reading and learning are not just for school-age children, libraries have been getting children ready to read for years. With early literacy, we want to develop skills of reading and writing before they can actually read and write. The six early literacy skills librarians build on are print motivation, print awareness, letter knowledge, vocabulary, phonological awareness, and narrative skills. These are skills parents can help develop too.
- Print motivation – read books with your child, and have fun. Children who experience books and reading positively and most importantly enjoyably will be motivated to read on their own.
- Letter knowledge is knowing that letters have their own names and look and sounds different. Letters are based on shapes so playing games that involve shapes and lines is the best way to learn.
- My favorite is Vocabulary! Carry on lots of conversations with children, explain the meaning of words and READ books! Picture books are the best and are my favorite. They use words that are different from casual conversation. Besides the illustrations being wonderful, they also help define the vocabulary word on the page.
- Phonological awareness is hearing and playing with the smaller sounds of words; this is why singing is an important part of library programs.
- Narrative skills can be developed by retelling stories so ask open-ended questions that encourage conversations.
- Print awareness – Notice print everywhere, signs while in the car, words on menus, on buildings, and in books. Knowing how to handle a book and how to follow the words on the page helps children be aware of words before they can read them. Show them how a book works, from cover to cover, upside down and looking left to right. Board books are the best for teaching these skills.
We can’t forget the adults, there is book bingo and the Reader Zone, an online goal-based reading program.
If kids see adults reading, they are more likely going to become lifelong readers.
Summer reading programs are designed for reading for the fun of it. If you can read, thank a teacher. If you love to read, thank a librarian!
Joanne Neemann
Library Director