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We are excited to share that we will be working along with New Haven Public Schools and several other local organizations to help pilot the New Haven Tutoring Initiative. NHR will be providing the literacy education training, similar to our one-on-one tutoring,

In addition to New Haven Reads,  LEAP, the Boys and Girls Club, Horizons at the Foote, Inspired Communities, New Haven Counts, and New Hytes will all include tutoring in their programs.

To read more about this initiative and how you can be a part of it click here!


Reading is beneficial for individuals of all ages, especially young children. In fact, a report by the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center found that even before children begin to talk, they need to hear language to support their brain development. One of the best ways parents can facilitate this process is by reading a variety of books to their children.

However, there are other reasons you should start holding regular reading sessions with your child. Here are more benefits you can reap from the activity:

They stimulate creativity

Most children’s books feature diverse themes ranging from fantasy to slice-of-life stories. Because of this, young readers are encouraged to use their creativity and imagination to visualize the people, places, and things you read to them across various books. They are also challenged to think of numerous possibilities that may happen in the story and even learn problem-solving strategies and innovative perspectives from the protagonist’s journey. As a result, reading stimulates creativity and ignites the curiosity and enthusiasm of children to learn concepts outside of their usual surroundings. So when planning to read books with your child, ensure that you introduce a variety of books to expose them to different exciting scenarios.

They foster literacy development

Literacy development is a multifaceted process. Maryville University defined literacy development as the process of learning words, sounds, and language. When young children start to familiarize themselves with the structures of language, their phonological awareness begins to develop. In turn, this awareness helps them progress into developing their early reading and writing skills. However, young children cannot learn words and sounds independently. This is where enriching activities such as joint reading and storytelling become essential: they help children learn to distinguish words and sounds. If you want to give your child an advantage in literacy development, performing reading-related activities is a great strategy to consider.

They improve verbal abilities

In relation to our previous point, reading also improves the verbal abilities of young children. A study released in Frontiers Psychology reveals that children can become capable of communicating with their teachers, even when they’re still in a developmental stage, with the help of shared reading interactions with books. Moreover, reading enables children to expand their vocabulary. With this, the researchers conclude that shared book reading fosters critical communicative abilities in children. This includes phonological awareness, speech fluency, and connections with previous knowledge. All these things eventually form the foundation for language comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. This shows that reading to your child improves both their verbal and non-verbal communication skills.

They promote stronger parent-child relationships

Lastly, reading to your child can help you form stronger bonds with them. According to researchers from New York University, shared book reading provides a wonderful opportunity for parents and children to connect since the activity increases the reported parental warmth and sensitivity experienced by parents. This enables you to better address the needs of your kids, resulting in healthy and early parent-child relationships that can persist even after childhood. Ultimately, reading offers various positive benefits that go beyond linguistic and cognitive development. So the next time your child has a reading session, make sure to be there and read with them.

Reading to your child can provide a host of holistic developmental benefits. However, doing so should not be a one-time activity. In our article on ‘NHR’s Top Five Tips to Prevent Summer Slide,’ we discussed that children who don’t read regularly lose about two to three months of reading development. That’s why regular reading sessions are important even when children are out of school. You can do this by visiting local public libraries or simply reading a book with your child before bedtime.

To learn more about how you can help your child in their education journey, visit our website at New Haven Reads.

Specially written for NewHavenREADS.org
By: Rishelle Judith


The Book Bank is a unique resource that is neither a library nor a bookstore. Rather, all of our gently used books are free, and they may be kept and enjoyed for years to come. Each year we give out close to 100,000 books.

First-time visitors to the Book Bank will find hundreds of children’s and adult books sorted into categories and shelved in both our main front room and the larger back room. Visitors are limited to five children’s, board, or picture books per day (per child); there is no limit on other books.

Victoria is our Book Bank Director. Originally from Pennsylvania, Victoria moved to Connecticut in 2014 to attend the University of New Haven. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Community/Clinical Psychology, and hopes to pursue a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Rehabilitation. Victoria joined New Haven Reads as an intern during her final semester at UNH, and joined the staff as the Book Bank Director after her internship. Her favorite book is The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.

Jo-Ann is our Office Manager. Jo-Ann was born and raised in New Haven, CT. She has worked as a nurse’s aide for over 20 years and has two sons who are her world. Jo-Ann’s favorite book is Rhythms by Donna Hill.

Location: 45 Bristol Street, New Haven CT 06511
Phone: 203-752-1923

Hours:
Monday: 12pm-4pm
Tuesday: 1pm-7pm
Wednesday: 1pm-7pm
Thursday: 1pm-6pm
Friday: 12pm-6pm

Saturday: 10am-1pm


We had an amazing evening at our Tell Me Why It Works: The Science Behind Reading panel discussion. There were 150 people in the audience at Barack Obama Magnet University School while over 300 watched the livestream. Our panelists included Emily Hanford, Dr. Kymyona Burke, Dr. Tamu Lucero, Amy Dowell, and Amy Stockton. Our moderator was Margie Gillis of Literacy How. Everyone shared a different perspective about the science behind reading and it’s importance in using it in our school systems.

You can view the recorded livestream from the “Right to Read” Twitter account here!

You can also view the full digital program here.

 


We are so excited to announce that we have opened a new location as part of the after-school program at Bishop Woods Architecture and Design Magnet School in New Haven!
 
We are starting this program by welcoming 12 students twice a week and we will double the program to 24 students over four days beginning in January! Students will follow our regular, one-on-one tutoring model that is based in the science of reading.
 
Charlene Cua, NHR Associate Director, told us, “This Bishop Woods collaboration will have a significant impact on both the reading skills and the self-confidence of these students and we can’t wait to see them achieve their goals!”
We are still seeking tutors for Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30pm to 4:30pm to help us with the Bishop Woods program! If you or someone you know would like to volunteer at this location, please contact Fernanda at volunteer@test.newhavenreads.org. Full training and support will be provided.
 
New Haven Reads is grateful for the opportunity to create this partnership with the Bishop Woods team and expand our program in communities where it is needed. We look forward to lots of joyful learning and fun with this program expansion!