Young readers from the United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education create The Reading Tree

undefined

Each ribbon represents one of 266 books read through the Lending Library

Pre-K students from the United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education created ribbons, each representing one of 266 books read together by a child and family at the Center’s Lending Library. On June 6, the children, families and teachers gathered in the playground to create The Reading Tree – with its hanging
colorful ribbons, it is a living example of reading.

The Lending Library, made possible by Early Reading First – Project Literacy Enhancement for Early Readers (LEER), encourages parents and teachers to work together to build children’s language skills and get them ready to read. Research shows that children who are read to at home and discuss the stories while they read, learn more and do better in school. Reading aloud, with children participating actively, helps them learn new words, learn more about the world, learn about written language and see the connection between words that are spoken and words that are written.

The Project LEER Lending Library provides beautiful storybooks and simple tips to encourage conversations with your children as you share the joy of reading together. The library also provides some vocabulary words on cards that families can use to encourage vocabulary development. Project LEER provided more than 50 books to the 11 classrooms in the Center. In the first two months of implementation, four of the classrooms read more than 50 books as a group.

To view photos from this event please visit the Facebook album.