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language disabilities

Teach My Kid to Read members and librarian Faye Lieberman, holding a stuffed bear

Hey Teacher! Let the Kids Read What They Want

What does a librarian say when parents of struggling readers say their children won’t read anything? What’s it like to hear parents tell their children they can only read books at certain levels? Why do all the young adult books seem to include themes that are so difficult for our tweens and teens to grapple with? Struggling readers in this age range are often facing enough challenges, so why are so many of the books written for them so brutal? Recently, a few Teach My Kid to Read volunteers and I sat down with Faye Lieberman, Children’s Librarian at Franklin Square Public Library in Franklin Square, New York, for a discussion about children’s books and the questions librarians hear the most. Following are excerpts from a transcript of the discussion: Ask the Librarian! My name is Faye Lieberman. I’ve been a children’s librarian for nearly forty years. In my experience, things have gotten much worse for children with and without dyslexia. Most schools teach reading using sight words, leveled readers, and standardized tests. There is minimal attempt to adjust to the needs of individual children. I’m finding fewer children who want to read for pleasure. It’s not always the teacher’s fault. Sometimes it’s the parent’s fault, too. Every day I hear, “You can’t read that, it’s not on your level.”… | Read More »Hey Teacher! Let the Kids Read What They Want

Save a Life: Teach a Kid to Read

Have you ever watched young children in a library or bookstore? They run around in excitement and pull dozens of books off the shelves. I’ve seen it many times and I’ve pulled a few books off shelves myself. Children are born with an innate capacity for joy, a natural curiosity, and a desire to learn. Young children love Story Time or having a parent or caregiver reading aloud to them. Is there is a defining moment or a collection of experiences that leads to diminished joy and eventually to a downright hatred of libraries and books for some children? Maybe it’s when a child first heads off to school, or when the other children progress to chapter books, that those once-exciting books become painful to try to read. I’ve thought about the loss of joy a lot lately. Through our new library program, The Road to Decode, I have spent a lot of time in the children’s sections of libraries. Teach My Kid to Read worked hard on The Road to Decode, creating awareness and helping librarians understand what resources help children learn to read. But are we doing enough? We’ve cited statistics before. Reading issues are common, and nobody is spared. Sixty-four percent of fourth graders are not reading proficiently. According to The International Dyslexia Association, reading issues like… | Read More »Save a Life: Teach a Kid to Read