Thursday, June 21, 2012

How to Get Your Child to LOVE Reading


Most parents want their children not only to learn to read, but learn to love reading. And while the love of reading is not something you can teach or force on your child there are a few ideas on what you can do to strength the bond between your child and books.
Firstly, you need to make sure your child is reading every day. Even if it is just for 20 minutes, no matter what their age it is important to encourage reading for pleasure. Spend the time just before they go to bed reading a book they have chosen. Make sure it is a topic they like a d age appropriate too.
During this time get your child to read a small passage out loud, and take turns reading chapters or pages depending the type of book you are reading. Encourage your child to read aloud gives them faith in their own reading ability as well.
Recently, The American Library Association (ALA) published a list of the most Notable Children's Books of 2012. It includes books for all age groups and gives you at least a starting point and gives a wide variety of themes and topics for you and your child to enjoy together.
Just taking one example from each age group;
Young Children - King Jack and the Dragon (by Peter Bently, Illus. by Helen Oxenbury) enhanced by whimsical illustrations, this story of the wonders and terrors created by a child's imagination, shows the power of playtime and the magic of make-believe.
Middle - Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade (by Melissa Sweet, Illus. by the author) this story of Tony Sarg, the artistic inventor who conceived the huge balloons that float through New York City each Thanksgiving, joyously celebrates his life's creative process.
And for the older children in your house-hold: How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous (by Georgia Bragg, Illus. by Kevin O'Malley) a wildly humorous collective biography featuring horrifying medical treatments and deaths of nineteen famous men and women, this surprisingly heavily researched compendium is terrific book bait for reluctant readers.
For the older, reluctant reader it can be a good idea to get them into a series of books. Obviously Harry Potter is fantastic for this, the suspense and engaging story makes you want to keep going back for more. Or the Tomorrow When the War Began series is another good choice. If your child is interested in a particular author then encourage them to read all the books by that author, and find out authors that are similar. When I was young I read all Roald Dahl's books, and I think he still reaches many children even today. It could be a good place to start. You will know from the games and toys your child plays with, what their personal interests are. So, if for example, your child likes cars, get books about cars.
Taking a family excursion to your local library is another great way to help the love of reading to grow! Get your child their own library card, and let them choose a few books each week. They will then read these books before being responsible for returning them also. Giving them this responsibility and letting them make reading and books their own responsibility removes it from the 'chore' status when it is related to school, it makes it enjoyable for them.
It is also beneficial to talk to your child after they have finished reading the book. Depending on the age of your child you can tailor the discussion to their abilities. But even with young children you can ask the, 'how did the book make you feel', 'how do you think the main character felt', 'did you like the way it ended' etc. This gets them thinking about the book once they have finished reading and helps them to understand they can learn social and emotional behaviors from a good book.
Some of these tips might seem a bit obvious but they really do work. The most important thing to remember is not to nag your child. Reading is supposed to be fun so if push it too much it could have the adverse effect.
If you child has real problems with learning to read you can get outside help from in-home and online tutors too.
It is important that the next generation go on to love and appreciate books and reading.
Learning to read can be a frustrating and difficult process without the right kind of reading help.
That is why our expert and experienced reading tutors understand the importance of encouragement, patience and theory that help to improve reading skills in an effective way.
We have experience successfully working with the young and old alike, as well as those who find reading more challenging due to learning difficulties.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

How to Ensure the Fruitfulness of Your Investment on Online Education?


The increasing craze for online degrees in different branches of study led to the accessibility to a number of colleges and institutions online. Students pursuing online education have various reasons behind doing so, most important out of which is certainly their desire to resume higher education without disrupting the existing work life. The online degree programs are conduced in a wide range of subjects, which is why each student is able to enrol for a degree in the choicest subject. The kind of education that one receives often plays an important role in determining the standard of life he leads later. So, it is not just for the sake of being educated and a holder of certain degrees but also enjoying a professionally successful and better life that one should invest on education. Consequently, here is an overview of the essential considerations in making a proper application of the online degrees.
The choice of subject is important if you are considering pursuing online education for the sake of stepping into an interesting and lucrative field of work. Let us take into account the subject of Criminal Justice that has emerged to be a prominent branch of online courses. An online criminal justice degree equips an individual with the knowledge and the skills to occupy responsible positions like that of a police officer, a correction officer, a crime scene investigator, and many more. However, these professions require the practitioners to possess confidence, strength of mind and an inherent ability to solve puzzles. If you are devoid of these qualities and if you cannot work under extreme pressure, Criminal Justice is not your forte. Every subject is unique in itself and come with the promise of a career so it is more essential for a student to determine his capability and inclination and based on this, make the choice of subject.
The college or University conducting the online degree programs is yet another crucial factor here. Though there are many, a student has to make sure getting into one that is accredited by the US Department of Education. This will indicate to the authenticity and credibility of the certificate you have gained in the employment market. Since, you are likely to have a particular goal where you want to reach by means of your degree, choose a college that helps you do so. For instance, if your ultimate aim is to work on child psychology, ensure registering yourself into an institution that offers you with an online psychology degree with a focus on child psychology.