Creating a Love of Reading = Susciter le Gout de la Lecture.

To develop good reading habits, children must be surrounded with books, stories and reading not only in the classroom but in the home and the community. Children who read and are read to outside of school do better than those who do not read and are not read to outside of school. Parents and other family members should make books and reading aloud a routine part of life on an everyday basis as well as on important family occasions. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other adult friends can do the same. "Reading circles" (a place in the community where children gather on a regular basis to read and share stories together) are an extremely powerful tool in the effort to support learning and literacy, as are reading tents set up at community events, and "street reading" with teen reading teams. Celebrities can be invited to share stories with children. "TV Guide" can be used to read about television shows and to discuss viewing with children. Reluctant readers who are interested in rock music can be reached by discussing with them the lyrics to their favorite songs, by having them read about their favorite performers, or by joining fan clubs. Political issues and personalities can be used to provoke discussions which are then followed up by reading books and articles. If parents and their children persistently and daily come together and share family stories, community stories, and national stories, they will be developing a love for reading and a respect for each other's characteristics and dignity. (Fourteen references are attached.) (RS)