Reading & Writing - Free Parenting Resources

Ways your school can get kids hooked on books.

How invented spelling allows children to experience writing on their own earlier.

Tips to help your child develop writing skills.

Invented spelling is one of the stages of learning to write.

The importance of picture books in a child's education.

Learn about whole language and how it helps kids learn.

Discover why it's important to encourage a child's first writing attempts.

Learn how children first begin to write and why early spelling mistakes actually help your child read and write better.

Information about auditory skills, teaching how to rhyme, phonics vs. whole language, literacy websites for parents and teachers, alphabet lists, and reading 1-2-3.

This booklet from the US Department of Education answers important questions parents have about helping their child learn to read, choosing an early reading program, strategies for creating strong readers, the five essential components of reading, and information about the No Child Left Behind act.

This multimedia site “offers hundreds of articles that provide research-based and best-practice information for educators, parents, and others concerned about reading achievement.”  Also checkout their shows on PBS, podcasts and videos, free guides, Spanish site, and tons of other information.

Includes comprehensive reading resources for educators and parents including motivating kids to read, literacy rich homes, school connections, lesson plans, activities, Gateways to Early Literacy videos, and tons more.  Also features a Spanish bilingual version of the site.

The LiteracyCenter.net serves as many as 1.7 million free literacy lessons a day to children in more than a 160 countries with safe learning activities for parents and teachers to share with young children. All online lessons are free of advertising and free of charge.  Also available in Spanish, German, and French. 

IRA resources are available to help parents as they take on their critical role as their children’s first and most important teachers. Resources include Getting Your Child To Read, Supporting Your Beginning Reader, What Kids Really Want To Read, and Storytelling: When? Why? How!

The site offers “exciting and friendly ways to make helping children develop vital early literacy skills easier than ever,” with separate pages for parents, educators, and health care professionals.  The parent page offers screening tools, literacy checklists, activities and much more. Also available in Spanish.