America
Reads Challenge: www.ed.gov/inits.americareads/
This national campaign challenges every American to help all children
learn to read. The Web site provides specific information on how businesses,
religious and community groups, libraries, colleges and universities,
and volunteer organizations can help meet this challenge. Federal
Work Study funds have made it possible for college students to serve
as reading tutors in schools and community settings. The University
of Minnesota is one of over 1,000 colleges and universities nationwide
that are training and supporting volunteers. To learn about this and
many other early literacy initiatives at the University of Minnesota,
contact Rosemary Miller at 612-625-0518 or mille324@tc.umn.edu
Association
for Library Service to Children (ALSC): www.ala.org/alsc/born.html
ALSC sponsors "Born to Read,"a national program that helps
parents nurture a baby's love of learning. The program builds partnerships
between librarians and health care providers to reach out to new and
expectant parents to help them improve their own reading skills while
raising children who will love to read. Contact your local library
to find out more about this program and also locally-based library
services to families and children or call the Minnesota Library Association,
651-641-0982.
Center
for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement:
www.ciera.org
A nonprofit composed of educators, parents, policymakers, researchers
and supporters of early literacy opportunities for children. CIERA
offers free information on early literacy acquisition and effective
strategies for teaching reading. It also sponsors publications, conferences
and events to share research. Their home page at is a central resource
for the latest information on literacy and training techniques.
Early
Childhood and Family Education: www.cfl.state.mn.us/ecfi/ecfe.htm
This program is for all Minnesota families with children between the
ages of birth to kindergarten enrollment, and it promotes the philosophy
that parents are a child's first and most significant teachers. Parents
and children participate together and activities focus on the importance
of parent-child interaction, play, and learning. ECFE is one of several
programs for families offered through the Minnesota Department of
Children, Families and Leaning; other programs focus on school readiness,
early childhood screening, and infants and toddlers with disabilities.
To find an ECFE program in your area call 651-296-8414.
Motheread/Fatheread
Minnesota: www.thinkmhc.org/read.htm
A family reading program conducted by the Minnesota Humanities Commission
for educators, chlidcare providers and families that draws upon quality
children's literature. The Birth and Beginning Years (B.A.B.Y.) component
of the program fosters reading and communication skills to expecting
and new parents. Call 651-774-0105, ext. 263 for more information.
National
Association for Education of Young Children: www.naeyc.org
The nation's largest organization of early childhood professionals
and others dedicated to improving the quality of early childhood education
programs for children up to the age of 8. Call 1-800-424-2460.
National
Center for Family Literacy:
www.famlit.org
Supports family literacy services throughout the United States through
programming, training, research, advocacy and publications. Call 1-877-326-5481
for more information.
National
Network for Child Care :
www.nncc.org
This on-line network shares knowledge about children's development
from the nation's leading universities through the outreach system
of Cooperative Extension. Practical information for families and professionals
is found under the heading, "Children's Literacy."
Reading
is Fundamental :
www.rif.org
This national nonprofit children's literacy organization provides
networks of local projects to help educators, parents and volunteers
motivate young readers. Call 202-287-3220.
Resources
in YOUR Community Minnesota communities offer many locally-based programs
for families and children.
To
find resources in your community, contact:
First
Call Minnesota, 1-800-543-7709
Your local United Way
Your local school district
Your local public library
Your county Extension Office
