Smart Start · A Family Literacy Workshop
How to Give Your Child a Smart Start
Simple habits that build a reader, from birth through early elementary school
Thank you for joining me! Here’s everything from the workshop: the slides, the TALK Method card to stick on your fridge, and a few posts to keep you going. Want more literacy ideas in your inbox? Join my newsletter below.
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On the blog
Answers to questions parents ask me
- “I’m not comfortable reading.”Can I Help My Child Read If I’m Not Comfortable Reading?
How storytelling, conversation, and the TALK Method build vocabulary and early literacy.
- “Should I be reading in English?”Should I Talk and Read to My Child in Spanish or English? What Research Says
Why your strongest language is the best foundation for reading in any language.
- “We already read at bedtime.”Building on Bedtime Stories: 3 Easy Habits to Shift Your Child from Listening to Literacy
How to grow a habit your family already has.
- “I’m out of time.”How to Build Strong Family Reading Habits
Small, steady routines that fit real family life.
- “How do I build vocabulary?”Super Easy Ways to Build Your Child’s Vocabulary Without Flashcards
Everyday talk that grows word knowledge.
- “Is my child on track?”No One Knows Your Child Like You Do: How to Monitor Their Reading Development
How to track progress and celebrate wins.
Go deeper
Reading for Our Lives
Everything from the workshop, and much more, is in my book, Reading for Our Lives: The Urgency of Early Literacy and the Action Plan to Help Your Child. Know a new or expecting parent? It makes a meaningful baby shower or birthday gift.