Print or electronic are irrelevant, as long as they're reading

Q: I'm a kindergarten teacher who thought your column on Children's Book Week was plain wrong. It's not "old school" to want children who are learning to read to begin with books, not digital devices. If that mom had exposed her son to books early, he'd probably "like" books rather than video games. Please retract your advice!

 

A: A-Plus Advice suggested teachers honor children's pleasure-reading choices. We argued that graphic novels, comic books, magazines, audio and digital books, and other forms and formats of reading, were appropriate ways to celebrate reading during Children's Book Week. No one said that "print on paper" books aren't an important part of the literacy mix for young readers. They are.

"I'm sympathetic to this kindergarten teacher. Early childhood educators are under tremendous pressure," says Dr. Tim Rasinski, reading expert at Kent State University. "Kindergarten used to be a year of 'readiness.' Now we expect kindergartners to master reading basics. Teachers know that the only way to gain mastery is to read, read, read! Books are perfect practice tools: inexpensive, plentiful, engaging, and you can match text to the level of the learner."

Want to help your young child become a good reader? Rasinski says focus on the foundation for all literacy skills: reading, writing, speaking, spelling and listening.

Here's how:

-- Read to your child often each day. Read poems and rhymes, shout cheers and master tongue twisters. Read these texts repeatedly and chorally with your child. Just make sure that the text is always in front of your child to see.

-- Let your child see you read. Talk about how important reading is in your own life.

-- Write to and with your child: make notes, cards and lists together.

-- Make your home literacy friendly: Have books, magazines and other reading and writing materials easily available.

-- Play word games. Sing silly alliterative songs.

-- Show how print conveys meaning: Point out print in the environment on billboards, marquees and signs.

-- Visit the library and bookstore often with your child

-- Turn on the captioning on your television.

-- End the day with a bedtime book.

Children love digital wizardry, so why not use it to help them become readers? Asks Warren Buckleitner, editor, Children's Technology Review. "From my view, the medium doesn't matter -- it's the process that is important. Either glass or paper is OK, as long as children are reading, writing and participating in the encoding and decoding of print in an active way. The more words they read or write, the more comfort and competence they develop. The fuel to keep them going is their interest."

For early readers, he says, "The iPad has been a rebirth of the living book idea. Have a look at 'The Cat in the Hat' by Oceanhouse and Disney's 'Toy Story 2 Read-Along.' In the latter, a child can narrate the page with the iPad's microphone. Two recent video games rich with reading that are Pokemon Soul Silver/Pokemon Heart Gold (with the Pokewalker accessory), and Nintendo's Super Mario Galaxy 2; both from Nintendo." For more information, go to childrenstech.com .

Don't get hung up on the platform. It's the practice that counts.