It's back to school with NEA's Read Across America
 By reminding them of the joys of reading, parents can help children switch gears from summer fun to learning fun—and NEA's Read Across America can help. Studies show that students who read for pleasure do better in school than those who don't. And, students who enjoy reading will have an easier time "hitting the books." Here's what you can do:
Make books part of your annual supplies search
Along with pens and pencils, be sure to include compelling reading materials. While you're stocking up on loose-leaf and graph paper, don't forget plenty of books, magazines, and newspapers.
Encourage the whole family to read the paper, then discuss sports, current events, and entertainment over dinner. Magazines and newspapers offer easy opportunities to feed students words when they don't have much time to spare.
Get your free books!
Unlike most supplies, you don't have to pay for great reading material. If they haven't made summer visits to the library, now is a good time to remind kids that the world's first free public library system is waiting just for them.
Make sure everyone has library cards and knows the days and hours of operation. Take the whole family to the library. Stock up on the latest bestsellers for yourself—show children that reading is important to you, too.
Strategies for getting kids to read
Reading—and loving it—is learned behavior. NEA's Read Across America, along with partners PBS' Between the Lions and Reading is Fundamental (RIF), has suggestions to help children of all ages learn the love of reading.
Try them all, and don't be discouraged if you aren't met with immediate success. A strategy that fails one day may work the next. (Teachers, feel free to print these out and distribute at open house nights, parent-teacher conferences, and book fairs.)
So many books, so little time
Okay, your children are motivated and you're on your way to the library or bookstore. What to read? NEA has booklists that cover everything from fiction to non-fiction and all points in-between. There's something here to satisfy every reader's heart.
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More Tips for Parents
NEA offers more back-to-school tips in our Help for Parents section.
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Send comments to readacross@nea.org
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