DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 347 498 CS 009 723

TITLE Family Focus: Reading and Learning Together

Packet.

INSTITUTION American Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation,Washington, D.C.; International Reading Association,Newark, Del.; National Association of ElementarySchool Principals, Alexandria, VA.; National Congressof Parents and Teachers, Chicago, Ill.

PUD DATE Aug 88NOTE 36p.

AVAILABLE FROM American Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation,The Newspaper Center, Box 17407 Dulles Airport,Washington, DC 20041 (single copy free; additionalcopies, $15.00 each).

PUB TYPE Guides - Classroom Use - Instructional Materials (ForLearner) (051) -- Guides - Classroom Use - Teaching

Guides (For Teacher) (052) -- Guides - Non-Classroom

Use (055)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.

DESCRIPTORS Beginning Reading; Family Involvement; *Newspapers;Parent Child Relationship; *Parent Role; ParentWorkshops; Primary Education; *Reading Attitudes;*Reading Habits; *Reading Instruction; Reading

SkillsIDENTIFIERS *Intergenerational Learming

ABSTRACTRecognizing the crucial role played by parents and

family in literacy development, a program called "Family Focus:Reading and Learning Together" has published this packet designed toteach paremcs ways to use the newspaper to reinforce reading skillsin a relaxed home setting. It contains suggestions and materials for

four 90-minute programs to help parents encourage their children ingrades one through three to read, talk, and think. Components of thepacket are: (1) a leader's guide; (2) a parent brochure incamera-ready form suitable for reproduction in large numbers,describing activities for parents and children reading the newspaper

together; (3) model letters to parents and to teachers, which can be

adapted for local use; (4) a publicity flier for parents; (5) public

service announcements for both newspapers and radio; (6) model

programs on foul.- different topics with sample agendas and

step-by-step suggestions; (7) model statemelits to parents; (8)

transparency masters; and (9) an evaluation card for leaders and an

evaluation form for parents. (SR)

**********************************************************************Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made

from the original document.************w**********************************************************

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U DEPARTMENT or EDUCATIONOffice or E ducahonal Rss.sicn Ind Imotovemen,

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Family Focus: Reading andLearning Together is a coop-erative program of the Ameri-can Newspaper PublishersAssociation Foundation, theInternational Reading Associa-tion, the National Associationof Elementary School Princi-pals and the National Con-gress of Parents and Teach-ers.

Special thanks go to thefollowing consultants:Shirley Cupery, NationalCongress of Parents andTeachersSara Hoffner, The PalmBeach Post, West PalmBeach, Fla.Joan M. Irwin, field consult-ant, International ReadingAssociation, West Vancouver,British ColumbiaJune Million, National Asso-ciation of Elementary SchoolPrincipalsKay O'Malley, The HomeNews/Korporate Kids,Clifton, N.J.Colleen Rickert, AuroraPublic Schools, Aurora, Colo.

Editor:Kristen J. AmundsonGraphic designer:Katherine Willis1Folder illustration:Barbara Gibson

: For additional information: contact:

ANPA Foundation: The Newspaper Center: Box 17407 Dulles Airport: Washington, D.C. 20041

703/648-1000

: International Reading: Association: 800 Barksdale Road

P.O. Box 8139: Newark, Del. 19714-8139: 302/731-1600

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Foa_sREADING ANDLEARNING TOGETHER

Grades One-Three

Thls projecl provides sugges-tions and materials for readingspecialists or Newspaper inEducation coordinators to use inconducting a 90-minute programfor parents. These programsshould help parents learn newways to use the newspaper toencourage their children to read,talk and think. Educationalresearch confirms the importantrole parents play in helping theirchildren learn and use language.Parents often want Informationand advice on how they canencourage their children to readand express their thoughtsclearly.

The newspaper Is a source ofreading material for both adultsand children. Newspapers areavailable In many homes andcontain information on a widevariety of subjects for people ofall ages, interests and expo*maw. Newspapers are alsoconvenient for parents to use inmodeling reading behavior,encouraging conversation andextending children's awarenessof people, places, things andevents.

Newspapers are often consid-

: ered most appropriate for experi-*need modem, but their useshould not be limited. Althoughmost children in grades onethrough three will not read thenewspaper independently, theycan benefit from shared readingactivities with a parent or otherinterested adult. The activitiesin this project are designed tohelp parents understand how touse the newspaper to stimulatediscussion, foster conversationand build on children's interestsin people and events.

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COMPONENTS

LEADERS'GUIDE

I This guide providesresources for planningand carrying out

special "Family Focus" parentprograms. Conducted bymembers of local chapters ofthe International Reading As-sociation and Newspaper inEducation specialists, theseprograms will train parents touse the newspaper with theirchildren. The focus of eachprogram is family communica-tion-using the newspaper as asource for reading and talk-ing.

The programs described inthis publication target familiesof children in first throughthird grade. Many of theactivities can be used withnonreaders or early readers.Activities focus on developingspoken language-an impor-tant first step in reading.

The Leaders' Guide con-tains outlines for four sample90-minute programs. Leadersmay choose to use one ofthese programs or a combina-tion of two or more. Leadersalso may develop originalprograms. A key point for all

leaders is to develop pro-grams that meet the needsand interests of the parents intheir audiences. Leadersshould feel free to tailor-makeFamily Focus sessions in theirown personal styles. The gealhere is a successful present'tion, one that will stimulate

: parents to repeat some of the: learning activities at home: with their children.

: PARENT: BROCHURE: Family Focus:

Reading and Learn-.

ing Together is a bro-chure describing activities for

: parents and children reading: the newspaper together. The: brochure includes activities: that encourage parents and: children to "Read Together,": "Talk Together" and 'Think: Together." It also suggests: activities that children may try: on their own. The parent: brochure included with this: kit has been provided in cam-: era-ready form suitable for re-: production in large numbers.: When bound, it will become: and eight-page brochure. At: the close of the Family Focus: program, each parent should: receive a brochure to take: home.: The parent brochure is: located in the pocket folder.

MODEL LETTERS

: Included are twomodel letters promot-ing the program to

: parents-one from the princi-: pal and one from the PTA-: that can be adapted to local

programs and sent home.Also included in this guide isa model letter to teachers,describing the purposes of theFamily Focus program and itsteaching techniques, in thehope that teachers will sup-port the program and rein-force parents' efforts. (Seepages 6 to 8 of this guide formodel letters.)

PUBLICITY FLIERFOR PARENTS

This flier is de-signed to attractparents to the Family

Focus programs. It includesroom for listing the place andtime of the Family Focusevenings, and can be easilyduplicated by program organ-izers. (See page 9 of thisguide for sample flier.)

: PUBLIt" SERVICE: ANNOLNCEMENTS

Public service an-nouncements for bothnewspapers and radio

: can be used to promote the: Family Focus program. (See: page 10 of this guide for: sample public service an-: nouncements.)

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MODELPROGRAMS

Four differenttopics are presentedin the leaders' guide:

on helping parents to use pho-tographs to promote conversa-tion with their children, onhelping parents select newspa-per articles to read with theiryoungsters, on ways for par-ents to use newspapers to pro-mote family conversation andon helping parents choosetopics to interest their chil-dren in independent activities.

Included with the modelprograms is a sample agendathat session leaders can fol-low, plus step-by-step sugges-tions for running a successfulFamily Focus event. Eachmodel program offers severalactivities to encourage parentparticipation, on the premisethat parental enthusiasm dur-ing the session will spill overto the at-home activities thatparents plan for their children.Model programs appear onpages 11-17.

MODELSTATEMENTSTO PARENTS

III Included in theleaders' guide aremodel statements to

parents, offered as a way tohelp Family Focus programleaders introduce and con-

elude the sessions they run. :

: The statements reinforce the :

: premises of Family Focus: that reading is worthwhile and :: important, and that children: who see their parents reading: will be more inclined to do so: themselves. See pages 18-19.

TRANSPARENCYMASTERS

Three sampletransparency mastersare provided (pges

: 20-22), to help Family Focusnrogram leaders add visualimpact to their introductory

: and concluding remarks.Session leaders are encour-

: aged to develop other trans-: parencies to suit the needs of

the programs they run.

EVALUATIONSEvaluation Card

An evaluation cardis located in the pocket

folder. Family Focus program: leaders are asked to return: the card to ANPA Foundation.: Information provided will help

program organizers develop: materials for future Family: Focus events.

Evaluation FormThe evaluation form, lo-

cated on page 24, should beduplicated and distributed toparents who attend Family

Focus prccrrams. The form isoffered so program leaderscan gain ideas and sugges-tions for future sessions.

: NEWSPAPER:COLUMNS

Two newspaper columnsabout Family Focus will be dis-tributed to ANPA-membernewspapers.

Sponvorship"Family Focus" is sponsored

by the American NewspaperPublishers Association Foun-dation, the International Read-ing Association, the NationalCongress of Parents andTeachers and the National As-sociation of Elementary SchoolPrincipals. The Canadian DailyNewspaper Publishers Associa-tion also has endorsed the pro-gram.

Program loadersCommittees of local/state/

provincial councils of the Inter-national Reading Associationand Newspaper in Educationcoordinators affiliated with theAmerican Newspaper Publish-ers Association Foundation willorganize the Family Focus pro-grams in cooperation with localschools and/or PTAs. Thesponsors should identify theprogram leader, most likely areading specialist or the coor-dinator for Newspaper in Edu-cation programs from the localnewspaper.

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PLANNING GUIDE FORPROGRAM LEADERS

Several weeks before theFamily Focus program is totake place, schedulemeeting(s) with representa-tives of each of the sponsoringgroups. Determine who willtake various responsibilitiesfor the meeting.I Ask both the elementaryschool principal and the PTApresident to be present at theFamily Focus program towelcome participants. Ideally,both a reading specialist and aNewspaper in Education coor-dinator will be present,although either one alonecould lead the session.I Decide the topic of yourprogram. This leaders' guideincludes outlines for fourdifferent topics. Leaders maychoose one topic, or makeselections from two or more.!nclude this information inyour publicity.I Formulate a budget foryour program. Determinewho will cover expenses forduplicating publicity materialsand parent brochures, andwho will contribute funds forincidentals, including refresh-ments.I Select a convenient timeand place for the program.The best meeting locationshave round tables and chairslarge enough for adults to sitin comfortably. School re-source rooms, libraries ormedia centers are ideal.

: Schedule the meeting for a: time that is convenient for: parents who would be willing: and able to attend.: I Begin publicizing the: program. Promote it in your: newspaper, either through: ads or articles or both. Adapt: the enclosed public service

anqouncements and send: them to local radio stations.: Call local television talk: shows to schedule appear-: ances by one or more mem-: bers of the sponsoring organi-: zations. Copy and distribute: fliers to all parents of children: in grades 1-3 of the sponsor-: ing school. Post fliers in other: locations where parents are: likely to see them. Have the: school principal and PTA: president write a letter to: parents (samples are en-: closed) encouraging participa-: tion in the Family Focus: program. Tell teachers about: the program and ask for their: cooperation. (Sample letter to: teachers is enclosed.): I Decide whether er not to: pre-register participants.: Although pre-registration: makes planning easier, it may: discourage last-minute atten-: dance. If you will pre-register,: decide who will be respon-: sible for receiving and proc-: essing the forms.: I Determine the optimum: size of the group. In a large: school, you may need to hold: two programs.: I Determine who will be re-

sponsible for refreshments, ifany, what will be served andwhen it will be served.I Assemble all the materialsyou will need for the program.These include:

One copy of the newspa-per for each participant.

One copy of the brochure"Family Focus: Readingand Learning Together" foreach participant.

Overhead projector andscreen.

Optional materials as re-quired by individual programleaders (bulletin board, mark-ers, scissors, paste).I Preparc a evaluation formand make &ire you haveenough copies for eachparticipant. A sample evalu-ation form is included in thisguide.I Begin promptly and endon time.I Work to create a relaxed,informal atmosphere.I Thank all parents for par-ticipating.I After the program is over,call or meet with other spon-soring groups to evaluate itssuccess. Decide whether youwill schedule additionalprograms.I Let ANPA Foundation andthe IRA know how yourprograms went. Please com-plete and return the evalu-ation postcard enclosed withthis kit.

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Note: Although this leaders'guide refers to the FamilyFocus parent meetings as"programs," you may wish tocall your local event a "FamilyFocus Day" or a "FamilyFocus Evening." Parents arelikely to attend a meeting thatwill provide them with easy-to-use, enjoyable and interest-ing information on using thenewspaper to help theirchildren learn.

PARENTBROCHURE

The Parent Brochure islocated in the pocket folder.

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3 MODELLETTERSMODEL LETTERTO TEACHERS

Dear Educator:The (newspaper name) and your local reading

council are sponsoring a Family Focus program on(date) at (location) from (time).

Family Focus: Reading and Learning To-gether is a national program designed to helpparents learn new ways of working with theirchildren to foster good reading habits and im-proved reading skills. The program is sponsored bythe International Reading Association and theAmerican Newspaper Publishers AssociationFoundation with the National Congress of Parentsand Teachers and the National Association ofElementary School Principals.

As a teacher, you are a vital part of the FamilyFocus effort. During the session, parents will learneffective techniques for working with their children.The newspaper will be used as a primary resource;activities that are both enjoyable and educationallysound will be presented to parents as ideas forfurther efforts at home. You can reinforce the workparents are doing and answer questions that theymight ask.

Please join us next (day of week) as we trainparents in methods to use at home with theirchildren. If you would like further informationabout Family Focus, please call (newspaper nameand telephone number) or (reading council nameand telephone number). Thanks so much for yourhelp.

Sincerely,

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MODEL LETTER TOPARENTS FROMPRINCIPALS

School letterhead

Date

Dear (name of school) parent:It's my pleasure to invite you to an important

programFamily Focus: Reading and LearningTogether, planned for the parents of our first,second and third graders on (day of week, month,date, time) in (room number, if any) at (location).This program will offer practical advice and specificmethods to help you help your child develop goodreading habits at home by using the newspaper.

Since reading is the most basic skill for students-and is the foundation for all future learning-it needsto be reinforced often at home, especially in the earlyelementary years. Family Focus has been carefullydesigned by reading specialists to introduce parentsto simple, enjoyable ways to complement the schooi'sprogram and strengthen your child's reading skills.The newspaper, inexpensive and readily available,will be the reading material for the program.

Family Focus, planned to last about an hour-and-a-half and led by (name and title of leader), is aimedat all parents-whether this is your first child oryou're a veteran elementary school parent. We'll alllearn, and I'm quite sure you will enjoy it. Everyparent attending will receive a resource brocnurewith solid suggestions for talking together, readingtogether, thinking together and for projects childrencan do on their own with the newspaper.

I look forward to seeing you on (day of meeting).Please contact me or (group leader or PTA leader) at(phone number) if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

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MODEL LETTER TOPARENTS FROMPTAs

Dear (name of school) parent:As parents, we all want to know how we can help

our children do better in school. We know that wehave an important role to play in our children'slearningthat we are our children's first and mostimportant teachers.

To help us with that important responsibility, the(name of school) PTA is co-sponsoring a specialprogram for pal ents on (date) at (time and place).Family Focus: Reading and Learning Togetherwill show you simple things that you can do at hometo help improve your child's reading skills. You'lllearn practical, enjoyable and easy ways to use news-papers to talk together, read together and thinktogether.

You'll also receive a brochure that explains otheractivities you can try at home with your children.Newspapers are used in most of the activities; theywere selected for this program because they areinexpensive, readily available and contain somethingof interest to everyoneeven young children.

We hope you'll join us for this hour-and-a-halfevent. If you have questions about this program,please call me at (telephone). Hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

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PUBLICITY

*16,

1041.

PARENTS:HELP IMPROVEYOUR CHILD'SREADINGA FREE PROGRAM TO SHOW YOUHOW TO USE THE NEWSPAPER TOIMPROVE YOUR CHILD'S READINGSKILLS

Fun and easy-to-use activitiesI Teachemleveloped, parent-testedI Use the newspaper to read

together, think together,talk together

Date:

For more information, call:

Time:

Place:

ir Family Focus: Reading and Looming Togothoris sponsored by the American Newspaper Publi.4h.ers Association Foundation, the InternationalReading Association, the National Congress ofParents and Teachers and the National Associationof Elementary School Principals. The CanadianDaily Newspaper Publishers Association has alsoendorsed the program.

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; 30-SECOND

Parents-do you want tohelp your children do betterin school? A free program,Family Focus: Reading andLearning Together, willshow you fun and easy waysto use the newspaper to helpimprove your child's readingskills. The program will beheld at (LOCATION) on(DATE) at (TIME). For moreinformation, call (TELE-

: PHONE). That number again:: (TELEPHONE).

60-SECOND

Parents-helping yourchildren develop a love ofreading may be the mostimportant way to nelp themdo better in school. Now afree program will show youways you can use your news-paper to help improve yourchild's reading skills. Theprogram is called FamilyFoeus: Reading and Learn-ing Together, and it will beheld at (LOCATION) on(DATE) at (TIME). Everyparent attending will receive aresource brochure with solidsuggestions for talkingtogether, reading together,thinking together and forprojects children can do ontheir own with newspapers.These suggestions have beendeveloped by teachers andparents, so they're enjoyable,easy and educationally sound.

Again, the Family Focusprogram will be held at(LOCATION) on (DATE) at(TIME). For more informa-tion, call (TELEPHONE).That's (TELEPHONE).

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MODELPROGRAMS

This leaders' guide in-cludes outlines for four 90-minute programs. Each pro-gram focuses on a differentaspect of children's languagedevelopment.

Program Model 3.Getting the Picture

How parents can use photo-graphs and other visual mate-rial from the newspaper topromote conversation anddevelop th.:71king skills.

Program Model 2Reading Together

How parents can selectnewspaper articles to readwith their children; how to en-courage children to talk aboutwhat they have read in thenewspaper.

Program Model 3Talking Together

How to use the newspaperto spark family conversationand encourage children toexpress their ideas clearly.

Program Model 4Exploring Topics

How to choose topics thatinterest children; how to usenewspapers to stimulatecuriosity and extend knowl-edge.

SAMPLE AGENDA

This model agenda pre-sents a general outline thatcan be adapted for use withany Family Focus program in-

cluded in this leaders' guide.In selecting activities to be

: used with a group, allow ap-: proximately 5-7 minutes for: participants to complete the: activity and more time for: sharing. The size of the group: will determine the amount of: time needed for sharing infor-: mation.

TIME. 15 minutes

10 minutes

50 minutes

15 minutes

ACTIVITYGreetings andintroductionsProgram overview

Icebreaker activity

Using the newspaperwith children athome

Summary

How to follow up

Evaluation

RESOURCESProgram sponsors

Program leadersSample introductorystatementsTransparency 1Transparency 2

Samples enclosed

Leaders may chooseactivities from thosesuggested in the programmodels, or develop theirown activities. Choose twoor more activities suited tothe needs and interests ofthe audience.

Sample concludingstatementTransparency 3

Parent BrochureFamily Focus:Reading andLeamingTogether

Evaluation Form

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MODELPROGRAM 1Getting the Picture

BACKGROUNDINFORMATION

Newspapers contain photo-graphs and illustrations thatcan encourage children todevelop ideas and stimulateconversation. In this program,parents will learn how to usethe visuai materials in news-papers to promote discussionand reading. Each participantshould have a newspaper.

GEITING STARTED

Have parents work alone orwith a partner. Direct them toscan the newspaper, findingphotographs and illustrations.Then have them list the kindsof information included inthese photographs andillustrations. The list mightinclude:

1 Popular entertainers1 Athletes

Ordinary citizens1 Politicians1 Accidents1 Weather maps1 Household items1 Clothing1 Cars1 Food.

Have participants share theirlists with a partner and talkabout one or two pictures thatmost attracted their attention.

Then choose one or moreof the following activities:

hctivity 3.Ask parents to examine

photographs of people in thenewspaper and choose onethat would most interest Theirchild. (Point out that sportsphotography is often the mostpopular with children.) Havethem identify the persons inthe photograph and tell apartner why that person isnewsworthy and why theyselected this example for theirchild.

In the group, discuss waysto use this activity withchildren. Suggestions:

1 Parents ask childr en toscan the newspaper and selectan interesting photo. Parentsask children what they knowabout the people and whythey seiected this photo.Parents read the accompany-ing caption or article to thechild and together they talkabout ideas that are new.

1 Children can cut thephoto out of the newspaper,mount it on a larger piece ofpaper and write the name ofthe person or persons pic-tured on the paper. Childrencan talk about the people inthe photograph and thendictate ideas to parents towrite a story about the photo-graph. Older children can beencouraged to write their ownstories about the photograph.These news stories can be

displayed on the refrigerator,the door of the child's roomor given to friends and rela-tives.

(Leaders snould remindparents that the ideas childrenproduce in writing are moreimportant than completeaccuracy in spelling and punc-tuation. Parents can makeincidental observations aboutwords the child knows how tospell, but should concentratefirst on the ideas the child hasto off,:r.)

Activity 2Have parents draw a simple

picture or a floor plan of theirhome and label each room.Have them scan the newspa-per to find pictures (in adver-tisements or news photo-graphs) of 10 items they havein their home. They can cutout these pictures and puttheni in the appropriaterooms on their floor plan.

Discuss how this activitycould be used with children.Suggestions:

Parents have childrendraw a picture of a room intheir house. Children find adsthat show pictures of thingsthat might go in that room:"Can you find a bed? Can youfind a TV?"

Children choose pictures :

or drawings of one or twoitems they would like to add :

to the household and paste :

hem in the appropriate places :on their picture.

Activity 3Parents select a newspaper

photograph that shows action.They should cover the cap-tion, so the photo can beanalyzed visually, withoutbenefit of the explanatorywords. With a partner, havethem look at the picture andtalk about what is happening,then speculate about whathappened before and after thephoto was taken. Then askthem to read the caption anddiscuss ideas it adds to theirinterpretation.

Discuss how actior photoscan be used to stimulatediscussion. Suggestions:

Parents should encouragechildren to react spontane-ously to the picture beforemaking comments or pointingout additional information tothe youngsters. Then parentscan explain that the captionadds more information.Parents can read the captionor ask their child to read thecaption to them.

1 Parents can ask otherquestions about the photo:- "What do you think hap-pened before this picture wastaken? What will happennext?""What would you do if you

were there?"- "What do you think thepeople are saying?"

"How do you think thepeople feel?"- "What picture might theyprint about this incident intomorrow's newspaper?"

1 Parents can involve evenvery young children in thisactivity. Ask children to tellyou the names of things theyrecognize in the photograph.

Play a game to improveyour powers of observation.Parents and children shouldcarefully look at the picturefor a minute or two. Thencover the picture and taketurns telling each other every-thing they can remember.(Children are often better atthis game than their parents,so they may request thisgame often.)

1 Children can draw pic-tures of what happened beforeor after the photograph. Theycan write their own stories orcaptions for their pictures,then share their work withfamily or friends.

Id

MODELPROGRAM 2Reading Together

BACKGROUND: INFORMATION

Parents play the mostimportant role in helping theirchildren develop a lifelonginterest in reading and inencouraging their children toread for pleasure and informa-tion. In this session, parentswill learn how important it isto read with their children andwill develop ways to use thenewspaper to support theirfamily reading.

GETTING STARTED

Discuss how important it isfor parents and children toread together. Point out thatparents have a tremendousinfluence on their children'sreading patterns. Whenparents and schools worktogether, children can de-

: velop a love of reading thatwill last a lifetime.

Identify several ad% antagesof using the newspaper forreading activities at home,and invite comments from theaudience about the role of thenewspaper in their reading athome. Advantages mightinclude:

1 Convenience1 Variety of subjects

something for everyone1 A way to encourage

children to learn about sub-: jects that are new

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I Photographs and illustra-tions to stimulate interest

When parents read thenewspaper, children begin tothink of reading as an "adult"activity-it becomes moreattractive.

Each participant shouldhave a newspaper to use inone or more of the followingactivities.

Activity 1Have parents scan the

newspaper to locate a story orreport that would interesttheir child. Have them meetwith partners or small groupsto discuss their choices,explaining how they wouldintroduce the item to the childand indicating which parts ofthe story they would readaloud.

Invite participants to sharetheir ideas with the group.

Discuss ways to adapt thisactivity to use with children.Suggestions:

I Parents read a shortarticle about a local event ororganization. Children shouldretell the story in their ownwords.

I Parents read an articleabout their children's favoritesports team. Or they look foran article about a boys' orgirls' team from the highschool nearest to their home.

Activity 2Have parents turn to the

comics in the newspaper. Dotheir children read the com-ics? Which comics are theirchildren's favorites?

Have parents discuss waysto use the comics to stimulatereading with their child.Suggestions:

I Have children choose acomic they enjoy. Cut off thecaptions and have childrenwrite new ones.

I Encourage children toread a favorite comic stripevery day and talk about whatis happening in each episode.

Select a time when it isconvenient for farmly mem-bers to be together. Taketurns reading and talkingabout favorite comics.

Cut out favorite comics orcomics children think otherswould enjoy. Paste them inscrapbooks, include them inletters, or post them on familybulletin boards or the refrig-erator door.

Activity 3Have parents read a local

story, then talk with a partneror a small group about waysthe story could affect theirfamily.

Discuss why it is importantto talk with children aboutlocal news affecting their lives(elections, school news,community events). Invite vol-

unteers to talk about how theymight discuss this story orother local news with theirchildren.

Activity 4Many newspapers include

special features for youngreaders. If your newspaperhas such a feature, use ex-amples of recent articles toremind parents to watch for itand read it with their children.Other information that par-ents may want to share withtheir children:

I School newsI School lunch menus

Information aboutchildren's athletic leagues

I Announcements of freeprograms

I Church or religiousorganization events

Weather reports.

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MODELPROGRAM 3Talking Together

BACKGROUNDINFORMATION

Family conversation helpschildren develop thinkingskills and spoken language. Italso offers them a chance toexplore their thoughts withpeople who care about them.In this session, parents willlearn how talking helps theirchildren's language develop-ment and will explore newways to use the newspaper topromote family conversation.

GETIING STARTED

Discuss the importance ofparents and children talkingtogether and the benefits ofthese conversations for bothchildren and adults. Invitemembers of the audience totell how they encourageconversation with theirchildren.

Identify advantages ofusing the newspaper tostimulate discussion withchildren. These might in-clude:

I The wide variety of items(comics, movie rev;ews,television listings, letters tothe editor, etc.) includedin a typical newspaper willprobably include at least oneitem of interest to everymember of the family.

I Newspapers help childrenlearn about important currentissues.

I Newspapers often providemore in-depth coverage ofevents than television orradio. Children can see thatthere are many sides to anissue.

Invite comments from theaudience about recent itemsin the newspaper that havesparked conversations in theirhomes.

Each participant shouldhave a newspaper to use inone or more of the followingactivities.

Activity 1Have parents scan newspa-

per headlines and photo-graphs about people in thenews. Ask them to identifytwo or more people they thinktheir children would findinteresting. Have themdiscuss with a partner whythese individuals wouldappeal to their children.Would these individuals havethe same appeal for adults?

Suggestions for adaptingthis activity to use withchildren:

I With the group, developquestions to stimulate anddirect conversation withchildren. These might in-clude:

"Why is this person'spicture in the newspaper?"

"Do you think the personwould be pleased to see this .

picture?"

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"What can you tell aboutthe person from this picture?"

"If this person came to ourhouse, what would you say?"

I Highlight a "person of theweek." Family members cantake turns choosing someonefrom newspaper stories andpictures. Then everyone cangather information fromnewspaper articles, TV andradio reports to learn moreabout this person's activities.

Activity 2Mention ihat newspaper

stories often provide opportu-nities for readers to explore arange of emotionsenjoyment,sadness, anger, sympathy,and so on. Have parents scanthe newspaper to find two in-cidents that evoke differentemotions, then discuss theexamples with a partner.

Suggestion for adaptingthis activity to use withchildren:

I Have parents look forpictures that show people'sexpressions. Ask childrenhow each person feels. Lookfor pictures that make chil-dren feel happy and sad. Thenask questions like, "Whatmakes you happy? Whatmakes you sad? Why doesthis picture make you feel thatway?"

ha111,

Activity 3Point out the weather page

as a source of ideas forconversation. Ask parents todiscuss how they use theweather page. Do they checkto see the weather in otherparts of the country?

Have parents make a list ofpeople their children know indifferent parts of the country.

Suggestions for adaptingthis activity for use withchildren:

I With their children, lookat the weather map to seewhat effect the weather willhave on the activities of theirrelatives or friends.

Look at the weatherforecast and ask children toselect appropriate clothes forschool or play.

MODELPROGRAM 4Exploring Topics

BACKGROUNDINFORMATION

The newspaper offerssomething for everyone-stories about sports, entertain-ment, politics, food, humaninterest, people, fashion,books, games, money and soon. Newspaper stories ofteninclude the latest informationon these subjects.

Choosing topics that appealto children and reading aboutthem over time is a way toencourage children to readthe newspaper, extend theirknowledge and develop newideas and interests.

This program will help par-ents identify ways to exploretopics in depth by using thenewspaper. The specifictopics and activities will, ofcourse, be determined by theinterests and abilities of thechildren, as well as the mate-rial available in the newspa-per.

GETTING STARTED

Have parents identify topicsor themes that interest theirchildren. Record these sug-gestions on the chalkboard oron large sheets of paper.Working alone or in groups,parents should look throughthe newspaper to find articles

: that relate to those topics.: This activity should help: pare...,s realize that af tides on: a given topic may appear in

many sections of the newspa-: per. Articles about pets, for: example, might appear in the

following places:: I Classified ads (lost and: found, pets for sale)

Community events (dog or: cat shows): I Local news (problems

with pets in the community): Feature stories: Columns about pets or

animalsI TV listings (programs

: about animals).: Discuss ways parents can: encourage children to use the: newspaper to sustain interest: in a specific topic. Parents can:

Skim the newspaper and: point out articles on this: subject to their children- Take time to read and talktogether about the articles- Help the child develop a file

: or scrapbook of information- Take the child to the library

: to find other information on: the topic: Look through the TV listings: for programs on the subject.: Parents also should remem-

ber to allow children to as-: sume some of the responsibil-

ity for locating information and: deciding what to do with it.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 17

Activity 1Choose a topic such as

pets. Discuss ways parentscould use information in thenewspaper to help theirchildren explore this topic.Suggestions might include:

I Develop charts, listingadvantages and disadvz .1gesof various kinds of pets.of pet, cost to keep pet, spacerequired, special care, etc.)

I Have children use theirimaginations in discussingpets. "What would happen ifwe had an elephant for a pet?"

I If children have a pet,they might discuss how theweather may affect the pet.Children can learn responsi-bility for caring for a petthrough some of these discus-sions.

Activity 2Have parents scan the

newspaper for informationabout the community. Thenewspaper often includeslistings of free events thatmay be of special interest tofamilies.

Families mAght want tokeep a list of places in theircommunity they would like tovisit. Then one day, parentscould pull out the list and asktheir children to choose aplace for a family outing.

Activity 3Have parents scan the

newspaper for science infor-mation that may interest their

children (space, robots,dinosaurs, the human body,weather). With a partner or insmall groups, parents shoulddiscuss why these sciencetopics would interest their

: children. Have the groupshare ideas on ways parentscan help children learn moreabout the science ideaspresented in the newspaper.

Parents might help theirchildren develop a personalscience notebook or journalfor clippings and their ownideas about science. Picturesand headlines could be made

: into a collage.

...MMI

18

MODEL STATEMENTSTO PARENTS

These statements includesuggestions for ways tointroduce and concludeparent programs. Leadersshould use these statementsas background information,adapting their specific com-ments to the needs andinterests of the audience.

: by reading the daily newspa-: per to and with your child.: When your kids see you: reading, they learn many: important things:: 1 Reading is worthwhile: and important: Reading is something: adults do every day: 1 People sometimes read to: learn something

SAMPLE:

GREETINGS ANDINTRODUCTIONS

Be sure to introduceyourself, your co-presenter,the school's principal and PTArepresentatives at the begin-ning of the program. A goodidea is to ask all "official"representatives of the foursponsoring groups to say afew words.

To introduce this program,you might ask parents toidentify one thing that wouldhelp their children do well inschool. Most will probablysay, "a love of reading." Ex-plain: children who enjoyreading can learn more aboutany topic that interests them.Parents can help their chil-dren develop this love ofreading. Reading books tothem often helps instill thereading habit. Another way is

1 Sometimes people readthings just for fun.

As your children watch youread the newspaper, they'llalso learn that people respondto what they've read in avariety of ways-they readthings aloud to others, theytalk about the ideas, theyinvite others to read aninteresting article, they laughabout things that are funny,they clip and file importantinformation, they maketelephone calls and some-times they write letters.

: SAMPLE:

ICEBREAKERACTIVITIES

: I Have parents look through: the newspaper and find an: article they think their child: would enjoy. Have parents tell: about the articles and why: they would interest their: children as they introduce: themselves to the group.: 1 Or participants might: introduce themselves to the

: group by telling which section: of the newspaper they read: first.: 1 If the group is large and: many participants do not: know each other, develop a: scavenger hunt-e.g., "Find a: picture of an Olympic athlete,": "Find a map of Missouri," etc.: Divide the group into teams.: The first team to find all the: items is the winner. (This: activity is also fun for chil-: dren.)

: SAMPLE:

STATEMENTSABOUT THEIMPORTANCE OFREADING AT HOME

Here are some reasons why. reading at home with your. children is so important.

1 Parents who read to and. with their children show them: that reading is important.

1 Parents are a key factor indeveloping a child's lifelong

: interest in reading. Parents. can help their children de-. velop the habit of reading.

1 Parents who use a variety. of reading materials (newspa-. pers, books, magazines,: recipes, directions, etc.) with: their children provide experi-. ences and vocabulary neces-. sary for successful reading.

SAMPLE:

STATEMENTSABOUT THEIMPORTANCE OFTALKIMMITHCHILDREN ATHOME

Conversation with chil-dren stimulates their alreadynatural curiosity. It answerstheir questions, encouragesthem to ask more and booststheir appetite for learning andtheir vocabulary.

Children learn aboutthemselves and othersthrough conversation.

1 Talking with childrenhelps them clarify their ideasand helps them think moreclearly.

1 When children talk withadults, they learn new words.They also may gather ideasthat will help them developreading and writing skills.

SAMPLE:

STATEMENTSABOUT USING THENEWSPAPER AS ASOURCE OF READ-ING MATERIAL

Newspapers presentinformation on a wide varietyof topics. There is somethingto interest nearly everyone.

Newspapers are inexpen-sive, convenient sources ofinformation.

1 People read newspapers: for different purposes-to learn: something new, to check a

fact, for self-improvement, for: financial planning or for: enjoyment. Children who see: their parents reading the: newspaper can see many: different uses for reading.

1 The variety of stories in a: newspaper can encourage: family discussion on a wide. range of topics.

1 By reading the newspa-: per, children can learn more: about local, state, national and: world affairs.

: SAMPLE:

CONCLUDINGSTATEMENT

: We've tried only a few ideasin this session. The brochure

: Family Focus: Reading and: Learning Together includes: several more activities that: you can do at home with your: children.: I hope you've begun to see: that newspapers can be used: for children who are learning: to read, as well as with experi-: enced readers. Whatever your: child's reading ability and: interest, you can use the. new3paper to help encourage: reading.: Here are some general. suggestions to make your: newspaper time more enjoy-: able:: I Try to plan a regular time: for reading the newspaper.

: Let your kids see you reading: the newspaper. Talk with: them about what you're: reading-the weather, the TV: listings, a book review, an ad.: 1 Read aloud articles that: may interest your children.: Talk with your children about: articles in the newspaper.: 1 If your newspaper in-: eludes a feature for y.,ung: readers, watch for it and read: it with your child. Point out: examples of children's art and: writing. Encourage your child: to illustrate and write about: ideas in the children's section.: 1 Ask your kids to find: articles that interest them.: Talk with your kids about: .their interests.

19

20 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 111

TRANSPARENCYMASTERSA collage of newspaper head-lines, in a variety of topics andtype sizes, emphasizes therange and wide appeal ofcontent in the newspaper.

Prime Ministerin WashingtonPrime Ivlinister Mulroney 10 n Ivor'

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die bear facts ictititio,t44 4444eits

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Excerpted from POKOLOCIANEXPRESSWAYS IIReading Program.0 1987, G. Educational Publishing Company.Reproduced by permission.

Use the Family Focus logo to .

stimulate conversation about :

the importance of parents and :

children reading together.

'

"if

21

22 1111111111111111111111111111111111

Use to conclude your Family .

Focus program.

READING THENEWSPAPERAT HOME

I Read the news-paper regularly

I Talk about whatyou're reading

I Read aloud toyour children

I Read together

I Let childrenchoose what theywant to read

23

EVALUATIONS

FAMILY FOCUSEVALUATION CARD

There is an evaluation cardlocated in the pocket folder.

Please return it to ANPAFoundation after you haveheld your first Family Focusevent.

24 1111111111111111111111111111111111

FAMILY FOCUSEVALUATIONFORM

Please use this form to let us know your thoughts about theFamily Focus program. Return it to the person who conductedthe session. The ideas and suggestions you provide will beused in planning future Family Focus events.

How did you hear about the Family Focus Program?

(Check all that apply)Notices from your PTA, school principal or reading councilNewspaper articles or advertisementsRadio or television announcementsOther (please specify)

Do you plan to use any of the ideas and activities suggested by the Family Focus

program leader?

Yes No

Which ideas did you find most interesting or helpful?

Please indicate your overall impression of the Family Focus program you attended.

(check one):

Excellent Very Good Average Fair Poor

What suggestions do you have about the use of newspapers by parents and young

people '6 might be included in a Family Focus program?

11111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111

ON THEIR OWN

Here are some acvivities yourchildren can try on their own.

1. Have your child cut outpictures of faces, clothing, hands,and feet and then arrange themto create funny people.

2. Ask your child to find anarticle about an interesting placeto visit in your community. Thentalk about what you would needto bring if you visited, how youwould dress and what you coulddo.

3. Have your child cut out lettersfrom the newspaper to spell hisor her name. Then paste them ona sign or poster to display. Yourchild might also try to spell thenames of other people in thefamily, perhaps making a place-mat for each.

4. Ask your child to pretend yourfamily is moving. Find pictures ofthings you might want to indudein your new apartment ur house.

5. Challenge your child to lookthrough the food ads to findproducts that could be combinedinto a hew and unusual sandwich.

. (Or suggest coming up with a: new horrible-tasting sandwich!)

FAMILY FOCUSREADING AND LEARNINGTOGETHER

it PARENT4 BROCHURE

2i)

a iIiIIIIiiIIIIiIIiIIiiiiIiIIII IIIIIIIlIIlIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIII 7

TO THE PARENT

Like many parents today, youmay often wonder if you could dosomething at home to reinforcewhat your child learns in school.Experts agree that children learnbest when parents are interestedand involved in their children'seducation. Many parents havefound that reading and lookingthrough the newspaper with theirchildren makes at-home learningboth enjoyable and effective.Seeitig a parent read the newspaper every day motivates a child towant to do the same-read andlearn.

The newspaper can be both aninexpensive source of information :for you and a rich resource for :

enjoyable learning activities with :

your child. The suggestions in this:booklet show you how to use the

: newspaper to:Build your child's love of

readingI Reinforce what's taught in

. school: I Enjoy a special time with your: child

I Learn more about your child'sinter,:sts.

30

THINK TOGETHER

1. Have your child choose anobject pictured in the newspaperand describe it to you. See if youcan correctly identify it based onyour child's description. Switchroles and repeat.

2. Pretend your child has moneyto spe;.d at the grocery store. Cutout prices for different foods:meats, fruits, vegetables andbreads. Help your child find atleast two items in each groupthat your family might enjoy. To-gether, total your "purchases."How much money did you"spend"?

3. Ask your child to cut out apkture of a famous athlete, mov-ie star, politician or other personhe or she would like to meet.Ask, "What would you say to thisperson? What do you think theperson would say to you?"

4. Find a story or picture of agroup of people who need help(for example, victims of a fire orflood, the homeless, people in ahospital). Talk about ways yourfamily might help by spendingtime, sharing talents or even con-tributing money.

5. Read through the lost-and-found advertisements. Choose aninteresting ad and ask your childto draw a picture of the item itdescribes. Or help your childthink of a classified ad to put inthe newspaper: "Do you havesome old toys to sell? Is there ajob yel. could offer to do forpeople? (Walking dogs? Water-ing plants?)"

5. Find pictures of people of allages. With your child, imaginewhat life was like for thesepeople in the past. Imagine whattheir lives might be like in thefuture.

7. Talk with your child aboutfamilies. Who is in your family?Do , ou have neighbors orfriends that you think of as partof your extended family? Haveyour child choose an article orpicture that every member ofyour family might enjoy.

8. Look through the comics andhave your child choose a favorite

: character. Ask, "How are you: like this character? How are you

different?"111

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 111111111111111111111111111111111 3

Notch. Ask, "Why did you choosethis program for the wholefamily? What show would youchoose to watch by yourself?"Look for ads about upcomingprograms. Ask, "What do youthink that show will be about? Doyou think it will be fun to watch?"

4. Read aloud a short articleabout an event or organization inyour area. Have your child retellthe story in his or her own words.

S. Turn to the sports page. Readan article about your child's oryour family's favorite team. Orlook for an article about a boys'or girls' team from the highschool nearest to your home.

8. Find an announcement in thenewspaper about a free event inyour community. Decide whetheryou and your hild would like toattend.

7. Have your child cut out the"cents off' coupons from thenewspaper. Ask, "Can you tell mewhat this item is used for?" Sort

32

the coupons into categories-cleaning products, snacks,breakfast cereals and so on. Asyou make out your shopping list,have your child select thecoupons you will need.

8. Using the newspaper's foodsection, choose a recipe withyour child. Prepare it together,asking your child to help youread the directions. Then serve itto family or friends.

HELP L HINTS

Newspapers are great for kidscf all ages. Even young childrenenjoy photographs and comics.Early readers can read the largeprint in headlines and ads. Andwhat child doesn't enjoy justtalking with a parent? Specialtime alone together will go a longway to promote positive attitudestoward learning.

This brochure includes activi-tie!, that will help you talktogether, read together and thinktogether. Try some activitiesfrom each group. Some daysyour child may be more interest-ed in reading, while other days a"talk together" activity may bemore fun.

Your understanding of yourchild's interests will help youselect activities that will be mostappealing to your child.

Newspapers can help build thehabit of daily reading in yourchild. Try to read aloud to yourchild every day. Ask grandpar-ents, neighbors or older brothersand sisters to help, perhapssuggesting a comic strip or ashort article your child mightenjoy. Sometimes ask your childto read something to you.

You may want to scale downthe newspaper with young chil-dren by using only one section ata time.

Sometimes stapling newspaperpages together along the fold (soit opens like a large book) makesit easier for small children tohandle.

Show off the results of yourchild's efforts-it's anotherway to reinforce your "work"together. Many families have apermanent "art gallery" on therefrigerator door, but you mightalso encourage your child toshare projects with grandparents,friends and neighbors.1 Establish a comfortable placefor your newspaper activities.Make clean-up a regular part ofyour newspaper routine.

Exploring a newspaper shouldbe fun, not an at-home "assign-ment." If your child shows nointerest today, try another day.

1

11111111111I11111111111111111111111IIIIIIIIIIIIIM111111111111111 5

TALK TOGETHER

1. Look through the newspaperwith your child. Ask your child tofind examples of:1"Foods I like"1"Clothes I like to wear"

"Toys I like to play with"1 "Animals I like."Talk about each selection: "Whyis a cat your favorite animal?" Tellyour child about things you likeand why.

2. Find a newspaper picture thatinterests both of you. Tell yourchild, in story form, about whathappened in the picture. Stop oc-casionally and ask, "Then what doyou think happened?" Ask yourchild to make up a different story.Or talk about what might havehappened before or after thepicture was taken.

3. Cut out some favorite comics.Cut the captions off and ask yourchild to tell you a story about thepictures. Ask questions like, "Didsomething like that ever happento your and "What do you thinkhappens next?" Or cut the comicstrip into individual pictures andask your child to put them in

3 4

order, showing what happenedfirst, second and third.

4. Help children learn more. about work and the variety of: jobs available by looking for: pictures of people performing

different jobs. Talk about what'sinvolved in different jobs. Point

: out that most jobs can be done byeither men or women. Search for

: pictures of jobs that various: members of the family have or: would like to have. Ask, "What

kind of work would you like to dowhen you grow up?" and "Why?"

5. Look for pictures that showpeople's facial expressions andemotions. Ask your child howeach person feels. Then askquestions like, "What makes youhappy? What makes you sad?"Look for pictures that make yourchild feel happy and sad. Ask,"Why dues this picture make youfeel that way?"

6. Have your child draw a pictureof a room in your house. Find adsthat show pictures of things thatmight go in that room. Ask, "Can

you find a bed? Can you find aTV?"

7. Look for a picture of yourchild's favorite sport or a favoriteathlete. Talk together aboutsports you both enjoy.

8. Look for a picture of some-thing your child might like togive as a gift. Ask questions like,"Do you think Grandma wouldlike it?" Have your child write ordictate a letter to this person,describing the gift and why it wasselected.

READ TOGETHER

1. Read the newspaper's weatherforecast to your child. Look forpictures that illustrate differentweather conditions. Ask your

. child to find pictures of clothing: that could be worn in different

kinds of weather. Look at theforecast for tomorrow and helpyour child select appropriateclothes to wear. Or use theweather map to learn more aboutweather in other places, for

. example, "What is the weatherlike where Grandpa lives?"

2. Use the newspaper to learnmore about oppositeswin/lose,

: rich/poor, night/day, happy/sad.: Find as many opposites as you

can, using both words and pic-tures, Choose a pair of oppositeslike ' night/day" and find picturesof things that happen in the

. daytime or at night,

: 3. Read the TV listings together.Help your child choose a pro-

: gram for the whole family to

oft.

atch for FamilyReading Program

Parents reading with their chil-dren in order to reinforce readingskills in a relaxed setting is the aimof a new program, Family Focus:Reading and Learning Together.Co-sponsored by the AmericanNewspaper Publishers AssociationFoundation (ANPA Foundation),International Reading Association(IRA), National PTA and NAESP,the program is targeted for children

Phylliss J. AdamsPresident of theIRA, Ignites New,Interest in Read-ing With FamilyFocus

We all realize the crucial roleplayed by parents and family in liter-acy development. IRA has activelypromoted parent involvement formany years, with outstanding suc-cess. We recognize, however, thatthere is much more that can bedone. Consequently, an excitingnew project is in the initial stages ofdevelopment.

This new project, called FamilyFocus: Reading and Learning To-gether, will be co-sponsored by IRAand the American Newspaper Pub-lishers Association Foundation,along with the National Congress ofParents and Teachers and the Na-tional Association of ElementarySchool Principals.

Family Focus: Reading andLearning Together is conceptual-ized as a three-year plan, with thefirst year focusing on children ingrades one through three. In sub-sequent years, the project would bybroadened to include upper ele-mentary children, and perhapspreschoolers, as well as adults.

The target date for the kick-off ofFamily Focus: Reading and Learn-ing Together is October 1, 1988. Bewatching for further details of t'lisexciting project in coming issucs ofReading Today.

Reading Today,February-March 1988.

in first through third grades and willbegin in the fall of 1988.

Family Focus is designed to helpparents learn newand readilyaccessibleways to encouragereading at home. Newspapers willbe used as reading materials, be-cause they are available every-where, are inexpensive, and havebeen shown to be effective teachingtools of children of all ages.

The program calls for parents tobe invited to meetings, probably atlocal schools, where reading asso-ciation members and local newspa-per representatives will explainsimpleand funways to encour-age reading skills at home withchildren.

Newspaper representatives willinclude Newspaper in Education(NIE) specialists, who already

work closely with schools throughthe Newspaper in Education pro-gram.

Preparations for the Family Fo-cus program begin with IRA mem-bers and newspaper representa-tives. Representatives of the twogroups will jointly plan programsusing curriculum materials devel-oped by reading and newspaperspecialists. School principals andPTAs will be contacted and, if theyagree, programs wili take place inelementary schools. Family Focuskits will include a training manual,parent resource brochure, flier forteachers, ready-to-go promotionalletters for principals and PTAs,sample press releases and publicservice announcements.

Convention News, National Association ofElementary School Principals, April 19.19&l.

National PTACo-sponsorsNew FamilyFocus ProgramShirley Cupery, secretary of the Na-tional PTA, attended the 1988Newspaper in Education Confer-ence, May 18-20, in Atlanta, Geor-gia. The conference was sponsoredby the American Newspaper Pub-lishers Association Foundation.National PTA is a co-sponsor of theFoundation's new reading programentitled "Family Focus: Readingand Learning Together." The pro-gram, which teaches parents howto use the newspaper to improvetheir children's reading habits andskills, will be laimched in schools inOctober 1988. Board fine,.

National PTA. June-July 1988

Four Groupsto Organize"Family Focus"New collaborationholds great promise

Teaching parents to teach theirchildren through newspapers is thethrust of a new program called"Family Focus: Reading and Learn-ing Together," which will belaunched in October 1988.

Family Focus is co-sponsored bythe American Newspaper Publish-ers Association Foundation, theInternational Reading Association,the National Congress of Parentsand Teachers and the NationalAssociation of Elementary SchoolPrincipals.

The program is designed to help

parents learn new ways of workingwith their children to foster goodreading habits and improved read-ing skills. Newspapers are the keyto the program because they havebeen shown to be effective teachingtools for children of all ages.

Parents will be invited to attend ameeting, probably at their localschool, where reading associationmembers and NIE specialists willtrain them in methods to use inworking with their children athome. One meeting a year will beplanned at first, but participatingschools later will be encouraged toschedule several sessions a year.

Children in first through thirdgrade are the intended audienceduring the first year of an envi-

sioned three-year plan. In the sec-ond and third years, older studentswill be added.

According to Judy Hines, ANPAFoundation's executive vice presi-dent, "Family Focus is an excitingnew challenge for NIE. ThroughNIE Week and the Celebration ofCitizenship, the Foundation hasbuilt solid working relationshipswith the IRA, the PTA and NAESP.Now we have another way to ce-ment those relationships in com-munities across the nation."

A team of experts from the IRAand ANPA Foundation has pre-pared the curriculum materials. Aparent resource brochure also hasbeen developed to describe waysparents can reinforce techniqueslearned in the workshops, and tooffer suggestions for additional re-sources to use.

Other materials for the first yearinclude:

A flier for teachers that describesthe purposes of the parent programand its teaching techniques, so thatteachers can reinforce the parents'efforts.

A series of model letters fromprincipals and the PTA promotingthe program to parents.

Public service announcementsand advertisements for newspapersand possibly radio.

Two newspaper columns, one bya public figure and on(' by an educator. to be distributed to all ANPA-member newspapers.

NIE Update, January/February 1988.

3 r