Parents and caregivers often ask teachers how they can support their child's literacy development at home. The vast majority of adults truly want to help the children in their care have positive learning experiences. When presenting for Family Literacy events at schools, I always start by explaining that reading and writing are built upon listening and speaking, so the first step is to engage children in dialogue starting at birth. I emphasize the importance of interactions and verbal exchanges in fostering the child's listening and speaking development. I also point out that the key to fostering the child's development is in the exchange of language (which is why planting the child in front of an iPad or the tv doesn't have the same impact).

We then discuss how reading and writing develop along a similar continuum as the speaking and listening abilities developed (individual sounds, combinations of sounds, words ...). Recognizing the similarities is often a revelation. When children are learning to speak, we tend to get very excited and happily extend and supplement their language. (Baby points at bottle and says "Ba." We respond, "Oh, you want your bottle? Here is your bottle sweetie!") On the other hand, when children are learning to read and write, sometimes we fall into a pattern of focusing on the errors. ("Look at that word again-are you sure it says 'monkey'?") So, how do we consciously continue to show our exuberance for literacy development across the ages and stages?

I recommend thinking of the acronym PIECE. The home literacy experience must remain:

• Pleasant
• Interesting
• Engaging, and
• Challenging Enough

What does the child enjoy? What is she interested in? What type of text will engage her (keeping in mind what she enjoys and what interests her)? What will challenge, but not frustrate her? One author who tends to meet these criteria is none other than that master of entertaining use of language--Dr. Seuss.

Dr. Seuss has written over 40 books--including many beloved classics--so there is assuredly at least a few that will appeal to most children (even older children). His playful rhymes and nonsense words tend to hook children into the story. Here are a few ideas related to Dr. Seuss's writings to share with your school families. 

1. Add a line or two or three or four or more:  Make a list of words that rhyme with "said." Next select an actual Seuss character or create your own Seuss-type character. Now write the next couple lines of this poem:

When the alarm went off this morning,

A (Seuss-type character) was on my head.

I asked, "What are you doing there?"

It looked at me and said ....

2. The Dinner Party:  Dr. Seuss once said "If I was invited to a dinner party with my characters, I wouldn't show up." Brainstorm answers to these questions:

Which of Dr. Seuss's characters would you most enjoy having dinner with?

Why?

What would you serve?

Where would you eat?

What would you do after dinner?

What would you talk about?

After answering the questions, try to create a poem about the dinner party.

(Variation--which character would you LEAST enjoy having dinner with?)

3. The Dating Profile:  Create a dating profile for a Seuss character. Three word description, Likes, Dislikes, desirable characteristics of a potential date/mate, hobbies, greatest achievement, most annoying habit, voted most likely to ... in high school, description of first date, other things to describe.

4. The Reality TV Show Judge:  What if Dr. Seuss was a judge on America's Got Talent or Dancing with the Stars? Write a critique he would give to one of the performances.

5. The TV Script Writer:  What if Dr. Seuss was a scriptwriter on your favorite TV show? Write a dialogue between two of the real characters from the show. To add in another challenge, pull a Dr. Seuss character into the conversation. (Google Search: If Dr. Seuss Wrote for Star Trek by Dave Fuller for an example.)