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NIU Literacy Clinic launches ‘Raising Readers’ video series to support parents teaching at home

October 18, 2011

Photo of a young girl in a library pointing to a book“What can I do at home to help my child with reading and writing?”

Laurie Elish-Piper, a Presidential Teaching Professor in Literacy Education, director of the NIU Literacy Clinic and co-director of the Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language and Literacy, says that this is by far one of the most common questions posed to clinic faculty and staff.

So common is the question, in fact, that it has inspired the clinic to develop a free video series, “Raising Readers,” which parents can use to support their children’s reading and writing development at home.

The “Raising Readers” video series offers simple research-based strategies that parents can use to support their children’s reading and writing development at home.

Each video focuses on a specific topic, such as building a love for reading or helping your child with writing. The initial phase of the series will include a dozen videos in English. The next two phases of the program will focus on developing videos in Spanish as well as making a collection of videos for teachers, offering tips on effective reading instruction and motivational strategies.

The first five videos in the series are:

  • Helping Your Child with Writing
  • Comprehension of Informational Texts
  • Promoting a Love of Reading for Teens
  • Building the Reading Habit
  • Building a Love of Reading for Younger Children

All are now available on the Literacy Clinic’s YouTube channel.

“When families and schools work together to support children’s literacy, children tend to make better progress and to develop a more positive attitude toward reading and writing,” Elish-Piper says. “Literacy is essential for success in school and in life, and I hope that viewers will share the ‘Raising Readers’ series with friends, colleagues and extended family members so the ideas will spread and positively impact students across Illinois and the country.”

Established more than 40 years ago, the clinic provides reading support services for K-12 students, high-quality practicum experiences for graduate students in reading and continuing education and professional development for reading specialists. A sliding fee scale and scholarships ensure that no client is denied services due to the inability to pay.

The clinic also supports courses leading to the reading teacher endorsement and the Type 10 K-12 Reading Specialist Certification through the Illinois State Board of Education.  Located at 3100 Sycamore Road in DeKalb, the clinic offers after-school and summer programming; hours vary each semester.

For more information, call (815) 753-1416.