At the "Big Box of Books" seminar next Thursday in the Steel Valley School District, families will learn how to make the most of reading aloud to children -- and receive a box of books to take home.
The seminar, sponsored by Readaloud.org, will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Franklin Primary Center. Refreshments will be provided.
Maria Heddleston, reading specialist at Park Elementary who is in charge of the event, said each family will get a box of books for children from birth to age 8 plus chapter books for older youngsters.
The theme for the event is "Things That Go," and families will be able to tour stations about trains, farm equipment and other vehicles. Parents can help their children with an activity at each station, Mrs. Heddleston said.
Books will be grouped around core topics, such as tales of space exploration and the solar system, books about numbers and counting, or books about overcoming obstacles.
Mrs. Heddleston, who has sons ages 6 and 2, said it is important to ask children questions when reading to them to make sure they understand.
It is also good to ask children to identify objects or people in books to get them involved in the story, she said. She said she often points to a character in a book and asks her sons: "How do you think he feels?"
It is especially important to read to children between the ages of birth and 3 years, she said, because hearing their parents read strengthens oral comprehension skills and builds children's vocabulary.
Children also learn other things from being read to, such as what constitutes the beginning, middle and end of a story and conflict resolution..
Various studies show that when children start kindergarten, some have been read to for 25 hours while others have been read to for more than 1,000 hours, she said. That creates a huge gap in readiness for school that Readaloud.org aims to close.
Readaloud hopes to encourage parents to read to their children for at least 15 minutes per day and for reading aloud to become a habit like brushing teeth or eating breakfast.
Invitations to the "Big Box of Books" seminar have been sent to local preschools, and 110 families have registered for it.
Families who attend will receive calendars that encourage them to read.
To register, call Park School at 412-464-3600, ext. 4, by 3 p.m. Friday.
First Published: May 10, 2012, 10:00 a.m.