- Begin reading to our children when they are babies and keep reading to them. Encourage painting and drawing, this will lead to them making letters. Be a positive inspiration to children by showing them in good example with your own love for books. Give to them good literary habits.
- As a tutor encourage a check-list for capitals, punctuation and spelling. The writer should read their work out loud. Is the writing clear, comprehensive and understandable? Always proof read writen work more then once and ask someone else to read it too.
- Get a friend or join a support group to practice reading out loud. This is sometimes one of the most painful concepts when one has literary weaknesses. Reading out loud will surely strengthen reading, writing and social skills.
- Something that is very helpful and private is to have a diary or journal just for your thoughts. You can use this to perfect what you are working on and also a tutor can encourage note keeping to show visible growth and progress.
- A visit to the library can introduce an array of literary tools that far exceed books. Certainly there will be resource material for any one at any level or age group with limited literary skills.
- A book club introduces literature that perhaps would not be considered otherwise. There is also that encouragement to finish a book in its entirety and to understand what we have read so that we can participate in the discussion group. There are different reading levels and age groups to consider.
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Let's Get Kids Writing - Short stories by children reveal interesting
new ideas...
helps parents guide their children writing short stories to improve literacy and social skills. It includes tips on keyboarding, elements of a story, motivation and help for work-at-home moms and dads.When parents join their children in the typing or keyboarding of short stories, everybody wins.
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The Key: A Newspaper written for new readers. The Key provides reading material for adults with limited reading skills. These include adults who have not completed their high school educations, those learning English and those with learning disabilities.
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Between the Lions: A fun site directed rather to the Parent teaching their child to read. Many elements are made available to assist in building literary skills along with ideas on introducing words and books to new readers.
Labels: literacy, literature, reading, writing
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Celebrate Your Freedom to Read
In a search for September books or back to school reads for young people who will soon be deciding upon an author for
reports and assignments as well as something to read leisurely. I came across Open Your Mind to a Banned Book Throughout the country, most children are starting a new academic year. Teachers are sending out their lists of required readings, and parents are beginning to gather books. In some cases, classics like 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,' 'The Catcher in the Rye,' and 'To Kill a Mocking Bird,' may not be included in curriculum or available in the school library due to challenges made by parents or administrators. Since 1990, the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom has recorded more than 7,000 book challenges. A challenge is a formal, written complaint requesting a book be removed from library shelves or school curriculum. About three out of four of all challenges are to material in schools or school libraries, and one in four are to material in public libraries. The Office for Intellectual Freedom estimates that less than one-quarter of challenges are reported and recorded. It is thanks to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, and students that most challenges are unsuccessful and reading materials, like 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,' 'Slaughterhouse Five,' and the Harry Potter series remains available. When parents in a south Georgia school this summer challenged the use of John Steinbeck's classic 'Of Mice and Men' in the sophomore advanced-level English class, the school superintendent and others rallied to keep the book available. The most challenged and/or restricted reading materials have been books for children. At the same time that families nationwide have embraced the series that has encouraged many youth to delve into thousands of fantasy-filled pages, the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling has been the most frequently challenged title in the country. In fact, this spring a U.S. district judge ordered the books back into general circulation in the Cedarville (Ark.) School District after the district restricted access. Challenges are not simply an expression of a point of view; on the contrary, they are an attempt to remove materials from public use, thereby restricting the access of others. Even if the motivation to ban or challenge a book is well intentioned, the outcome is detrimental. Censorship denies our freedom as individuals to choose and think for ourselves. For children, decisions about what books to read should be made by the people who know them best -their parents or guardians. In support of the right to choose books freely for ourselves, the ALA is sponsoring Banned Books in September, an annual celebration of our right to access books without censorship. This year's observance is themed 'Open Your Mind to a Banned Book', and commemorates the most basic freedom in a democratic society -the freedom to read freely -and encourages us not to take this freedom for granted. Since its inception in 1982, Banned Books Week has reminded us that while not every book is intended for every reader, each of us has the right to decide for ourselves what to read, listen to or view. Thousands of libraries and bookstores across the country will celebrate the freedom to read by participating in special events, exhibits, and read-outs that showcase books that have been banned or threatened. The American Booksellers Association, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression; the ALA; the American Society of Journalists and Authors; the Association of American Publishers; and the National Association of College Stores sponsor Banned Books Week. The Library of Congress Center for the Book endorses the observance. American libraries are the cornerstones of our democracy. Libraries are for everyone, everywhere. Because libraries provide free access to a world of information, they bring opportunity to all people. Now, more than ever, let freedom read at your library! Open your mind to an old favorite or a new banned book this month.
'Where they have burned books, they will end in burning human beings.' (German: 'Dort, wo man Bucher verbrennt, verbrennt man am Ende auch Menschen.') -Heinrich Heine, from his play Almansor (1821)
Information attained for this article was found at
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Labels: article, literature, litkorner2004, reading
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Say Merry Christmas with
Literature December, 2003
Have you started your Holiday shopping for this Christmas Season? May I make a few suggestions for anyone young or old? Why not give a book or poem? You can even write a poem yourself! If your special someone enjoys putting pen to paper, they may like a journal. There are a beautiful assortment of styles at your local book stores. Find one that reflects their character and make a little entry inside. This will surely make a personal and touching gift. You may want to try your local Library and gain a library card. This is a fun gift for yourself! Take your friend for a holiday lunch and stop by your local library. Encourage your friend to apply for their own library card as well. While you are there check out a special book for your child or spouse. If your child does not have their own library card, now is a great time to sign them up! This would make a cute stocking stuffer! Find out the opening times for your Library. It is a possibility that your Library will have special hours during the Holidays, allowing you to keep your book or books a little longer. You may also find postings for holiday poetry contests. These are great for the entire family and a joy to hear the literature being read aloud. You can also take this time to go through those boxes and closets with all of your stored books. You probably have several in great condition! Perhaps you have finished them. While you prepare to make more needed storage room, why not share your books with others. You may want to consider donating a few of your books to your local book drives. Another gift idea would be two or three books, similar in size and topic, stacked one on the other and tied with a beautiful ribbon. This always makes a charming gift. Don't forget to add your card! A home made card is a wonderful touch. Take a moment and write a few words to your loved one. You will be surprised how quickly a short verse will form. The kids will be home for winter break during this month. If you would like
to give them something to do or something you both can share together, here is a
great link for Christmas!
Happy Holidays to you and your family! |
Labels: article, christmas, literature, litkorner2003
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A Place of Literature August, 2003 Are you looking for some reading material online? Here is a link to a reader's and writer's portal,
Another wonderful aspect of this site, when you do find a read, you can easily select "Print This Story". You then are given a printable version to print and take with you. This is exactly what I did this week while preparing my article for LitKorner. This little feature is key when we do not have much time. Perhaps we can not read the article in it's entirety while online or we would like something to take with us to the beach. I found a few reads to take with me and would like to share them with you now. Read the following pieces of work in their entirety at
It certainly presents a challenge finding family safe material to share online and I liked the fact that Lit.Org will not accept pornographic material, erotica, etc. On Sunday nights two authors are chosen and given the same story starter to do a Write Off! With an onsite dictionary, random readings, newsletter, interviews, contests and forums, there is plenty to do at this site... A Writing Scene exists with agents listed and writing tips, you can add your site to the listing or search the many wonderful resources. You can also find books on writing and writing software. I found myself intrigued and wanting to sign up for their mailing list which is separate from their free membership. You can enjoy this site fully without becoming a member or being on any mailing list, however, to post you must be a member. My favorite part of this site is the 'Print This Story'; link to print and take the literature with me when I log off line. Lit.Org was a definite bookmark for me and I will certainly return. Until next time, be safe and find some cool literature to read on your hot summer days. |
Labels: article, literature, litkorner2003
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Personal Poetry
Whispers.. Darkness.. Purple Moon.. Military Woman.. Red, White, and Blue..
He
Lives.. She.. Undead Chant.. Time.. Life Storms.. How's
Mine?..
My
River.. Leading Light.. A Father's Love.. Our Moon.. When Autumn Fades.. And
I Weep..
My Love Letter.. Untold.. Perverse... Unclean.. My Sanctuary.. In The Spring..
Writing Tools Defined
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LitKorner Articles
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