Literacy Matters

 I have been contemplating the issue of literacy rates in elementary schools. There is concern that there are students who are behind in their reading levels. This is overly concerning in that literacy is important in childhood as it is in adulthood.
 
I love it when I hear or read a story about how literacy rates are doubling. This week, I just saw an article for this. It is wonderful that the school district near me has increased while in fact doubling last year’s reading scores in testing.
 
Increased awareness of this issue is the key. Parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, teachers, special guest readers, book friends, and any other person who is reading with either their child, another child, or children, or relative, I say “kudos to you.” 
 
Encouraging children to read while actively participating with them will only increase their knowledge and reading levels in the future.
 
I am deeply fascinated by all the resources the library has to offer. Recently, I was at my local library realizing that there was so much information and resources that are being put out to help readers. The librarians do an amazing job of staying on top of literacy.
 
You can check out read along with the book devices, books on audio, e-books, and other neat resources. I even saw at one library, theme related plastic containers for activities that can be checked out. Check your library for kits with different themes.
 
Stopping by your local library weekly can help your child to explore the world of books. Find out what his or her reading interests are. Let the child explore so many different subjects to read about like space, mystery, history, sports, and other types of books.
 
As an author, I do send some of my books to the library. The other day, I saw several of my books in the Metro Library in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
 
When I have been to Florida in my old hometown, I did pop in to see my books in the library where I was staying during the week of the Books by the Bay Festival in Pensacola, Florida. Many of my books in the library are also e-books that can be checked out. I do not have all my books in the library, but I do plan to send in requests to put more of my books in the library. These three libraries have some of my books. So, check them out.

Encouraging your child to not always read the same books over and over so as not to memorize them is a good start. Choosing a variety of books and resources is much better.
 
Experiences at home to encourage literacy are a good start as well. For instance, have your child read a recipe card with you, game instructions, looking at a list, or even asking your child to look at an ad in the paper to see if your child can tell you some key details like “What is the phone number to contact?” Where is the business located? What kind of ad is this?
 
Another idea is to have your child, look up movie times online to find out when a particular movie is showing at a theater. Having your child look at shopping lists or any kind of lists will help with their literacy skills. Real world experiences are the best.
 
Find an old phone book or address book for your child to locate an address for a business and phone number or a friend’s number and address in your address book.
 
When you go to the library, use the online library catalog to find a subject, then have your child write down the Dewey Decimal information and locate the book on the shelf.
 
If you are working on sight words, there are so many activities that can increase your child in knowing the sight words. Usually, a school will choose the Dolch List or the Fry List.
 
Children will have fun with activities that help them with these words rather than just memorizing. For example, you could buy a sight word bingo game, flashcards, scrabble game using the list to make words, drawing the word in the sand activity, sight word games online, and picking a few sight words and perusing through a book to several pages to look for those sight words.
 
In addition, try highlighting with sticky notes every sight word you see on one page while noticing duplicates of the word. There are so many other activities that the teacher has, or the internet has. In the past, I have used Teachers Pay: www.teacherspayteachers.com. Sometimes, I do buy resources from here too. 

​Being a former elementary education teacher, I am sharing this information so that it will help you with encouraging literacy and learning. Then, you will leave a lasting legacy that will last a long time and be generational.
 
So, what is going on with literacy and me as an author? I have participated this year with the OKCPS Book Bus and Facebook Live Read Across American Read-A-Thon.
 
I have also been busy working on a new book with my illustrator to hopefully be out by April or May, and coordinating reading events at venues, schools, daycares, and bookstore. I also had to take a sickness respite so I was not able to do some of what I would have liked to.
 
Remember, my mantra is “literacy, learning, and legacy.” I will continue to reach out to children to share my books, themes, and encourage the children to read more.

Metro Library: Oklahoma
https://catalog.metrolibrary.org/Union/Search?view=list&lookfor=Mark%20McCraw

Okaloosa County Library System, Florida
https://readokaloosa.org/Union/Search?view=list&lookfor=Mark+McCraw&searchIndex=Keyword&searchSource=local
  
Santa Rosa County Library System, Florida
https://santarosa.insigniails.com/Library/SearchResult?l_input=All%20Libraries&l=All&t_input=Keywords&t=Keywords&k=Mark%20McCraw&ck_input=&ck=&action=simple