Incorporating games and competition in the practice of important literacy skills can help students to better grasp key concepts. Check out these three ideas for simple reading games to try at home or in the classroom.
National Family Literacy Day is celebrated on November 1st, making it a great time to incorporate more reading and reading-focused games into your home and community. Once you start reading more and enjoying word games it doesn’t have to stop after National Family Literacy Day is over.
3 Fun Reading Activities for the Classroom or at Home
There are several ways to celebrate National Family Literacy Day. Choose a book that everyone is interested in to read as a group. Invite another classroom or extended family members for a super group reading circle. The following three ideas are simple and creative ways for students to use literacy skills through game-based practice.
Read More: Educational Games and Manipulatives
Reading Scavenger Hunt
Each player must read a passage from books that have been selected ahead of time for clues about what items to find.
Write a Nature Story
Take a walk with your child through the back yard or a local park. Bring along a clipboard with paper and pencil. Have children write a story about what they see. Younger children can draw pictures and label the drawings or talk about them later.
Letter/Word Search
Give a child a page from a magazine or a newspaper and have them find and circle a list of words. Younger children that are just starting to read can circle words that begin with certain letters.
Promote Reading at Home and Throughout the Community
There are several ways to help children improve their reading. The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) states that children who read every day have higher scores according to a variety of surveys and tests. Your local community is likely to provide several events and activities that promotes reading. Your library is a great place to get started. Most libraries organize summer reading programs and feature several story time and reading activities.
Besides reading at home and in the community, there are a variety of online reading activities to get involved in. There are several online tutoring programs to assist struggling readers. EPS Literacy and Intervention is a great company that provides several online resources including webinars and sample lessons for readers of all ages and levels.
Improving Literacy Throughout the Country
According to a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, 32 million American adults can’t read beyond a fifth grade level and approximately 19 percent of high school graduates can barely read at all. This makes it more important than ever to engage in reading and promote literacy programs at a young age. Even something as simple as reading to young children each day can increase their love of reading and improve their literacy skills. It’s important to choose a variety of books and resources for children at all reading levels.
Make sure to get involved in some sort of reading project, game, etc. on November 1st. More importantly, remember to stay involved throughout the year by supporting reading in your schools, communities, and at home. There are lots of fun ways to participate in reading activities during the month of November and throughout the entire year.
More Reading & Literacy Activities and Ideas
Looking for more ways to engage the young readers in your life? Stop by the Reading & Literacy category page to see what’s new and find ideas for activities around improving reading skills. Also be sure to check out the online store where you can find thousands of high quality reading and instruction resources.
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