America Reads Challenge
READ*WRITE*NOW! Activities for Reading and Writing Fun

Source

U.S. Department of Education

Contents

Introduction

Early Years: Birth to Preschool

Beginning to Read: Preschool through Grade Two

Encouraging the Young Reader: Grades Three through Six

Suggested Reading List

Resources

How to Meet the AMERICA READS CHALLENGE: READ*WRITE*NOW!

AMERICA READS CHALLENGE: READ*WRITE*NOW! Reading and Vocabulary Log

Forums

Related Articles

DEAR LEARNING PARTNER:

In August of 1996, President Clinton challenged every American to join his AMERICA READS CHALLENGE to help more children read well and independently by the end of the third grade. This challenge is an opportunity for families, schools, libraries, and community groups to become part of a national, grass-roots effort to improve the reading and writing skills of America's children. With almost 40 percent of children in the fourth grade not reading and writing at a basic level, there is important work for everyone who wants to help our Nation meet this challenge.

To further the President's Challenge, we encourage you to read with the children in your family and community using this AMERICA READS CHALLENGE: READ*WRITE*NOW! summer reading kit. The kit was developed by reading experts using the best research, and successful experiences of teachers, librarians, and families, to increase and maintain reading achievement and reading skills for all children--including those with disabilities--during the summer. Libraries and librarians across the nation are ready to provide books and guidance to children and their learning partners.

Secretary Riley launched READ*WRITE*NOW! in 1995 to involve whole communities in helping children to improve their reading and writing skills. Since that time, millions of children have followed READ*WRITE*NOW!'s simple formula to make reading and writing fun and easy. We are pleased to provide you with our new AMERICA READS CHALLENGE: READ*WRITE*NOW! kit. To READ*WRITE*NOW!, all you need is a child, a learning partner (that's you!), and a book:

• For younger children, the kit offers ideas on how a learning partner can engage all children in educational activities, such as learning the alphabet and word sounds. It also discusses different approaches for making reading to young children fun and creative, including helping them to follow the story and develop a new ending.

• For school-age children, the kit encourages all children to pledge to read and write 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Many families read to or with their children during this time. One day a week, children meet for at least 30 minutes with a learning partner (a reader who is a family member, librarian, teacher, caring teenager, senior citizen, or other community member). Learning partners tutor children and provide extra help in reading and writing. Learning partners, if not family members, work with families to keep them informed and involved.

We invite you to change a child's life by joining the hundreds of thousands of READ*WRITE*NOW! learning partners who are helping children read and write throughout the United States.

Richard W. Riley Secretary U.S. Department of Education	David Novak Group President and CEO Pizza Hut, Inc.
Elizabeth Martinez Executive Director American Library Association	Ruth Graves President Reading Is Fundamental, Inc.
Richard Robinson President Scholastic Inc.

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