A few weeks ago I wrote a post about how simple it really can be to help your child become  a reader. I got a great response from that post and was reminded again this week of how important this message is.

I evaluated a little girl who is reading far below grade level. Her parents read aloud to her all the time. Because of this, the sweet little one has a vocabulary and comprehension skills that far surpass both age expected norms and her reading ability. The whole time I talked with her, I kept thinking about the power of the read aloud. Had reading aloud, allowed this little girl to escape what is most likely a reading disability? No. But did it put in a much better place to tackle the hard work that lies ahead of her? It certainly did.

And then this morning, I opened my e-mail to see that one of my favorite writers had posted on her own blog about the read aloud. After you leave here, please visit Donalyn Miller’s post titled, Make Everyday Read Aloud Day.

Whether you are a parent, grandparent or teacher, Donalyn’s message is an important one. Read Aloud. Often.