What does it take to read successfully in high school and college, and what should parents of little ones be doing now?
There are certain skills children need to become strong readers, and these skills start accumulating from birth. The problem is, most parents don't know what those skills are and therefore can't know how to help their children develop those skills. They also don't know if children are actually building the skills through the years. Joan Kelley will present an hour-long session for parents and grandparents (of children birth through grade 3) to explain the three types of skills children need to read well, and specific ways adults can help build those skills. Given that reading well predicts school and life success, it makes sense to make sure your child is set up to reach his/her potential.
Joan has spent over 10 years doing literacy research and helping schools and policymakers across the country create classroom settings that focus on building the kind of skills children need to read successfully. She was educated at Harvard College ('84) and the Harvard Graduate School of Education ('05). She lives with her husband, John, in Needham, MA, and has three grown children who attend Harvard College '11, '15, and '18.
