Press Room

President-Elect Barack Obama Wants Parents to Read to Their Children

Posted on December 09, 2008

President-elect Barack Obama, speaking with Tom Brokaw on Sunday morning’s Meet the Press, stated, “Yes, we’re going to have an education policy. Yes, we’re going to be putting more money into school construction. But ultimately, we want to talk to parents about reading to their kids.”

This is only a part of what will ultimately become Obama’s comprehensive action plan to meet our country’s educational needs. However, it's particularly significant because Obama’s top-of-mind response, “We want to talk to parents about reading to their kids,” focuses on the role and responsibility of parents to contribute to the long-term literacy development and academic success of their children.

Reading to a child, and reading with a child, in a quality manner and on a consistent basis is commonly referred to as “Read Aloud.” Susan Frankenberg, author of a new book titled Read Aloud Magic, says that “Read Aloud encompasses vocabulary development and language development. It impacts reading skills, listening skills, background knowledge, creativity, values, and even self-confidence. Read Aloud stimulates a child’s brain, it fosters a love of reading, and it creates a bond between a parent and a child. It’s the gift of knowledge and it lasts a lifetime.”

Charlotte Mason (1842-1923), a brilliant educator and author who spent her life improving the quality of children’s education, once said, “The destiny of a child is ruled by his parents.” And, this is particularly true when it comes to a child’s literacy development. After all, reading well is at the heart of all learning, and children who can’t read well, can’t learn well.

Many researchers, educators, and parents understand that the first 3-5 years in a child’s life are a critical time period and any steps taken to enrich a child’s literacy development during these formative years will provide significant benefits for that child. These benefits will continue throughout the child’s life, frequently leading to educational and career opportunities that may otherwise not have been possible. Alternatively, children who lack this early literacy development are placed at a severe disadvantage as it is a difficult challenge for any teacher or school system to make up for years of lost developmental opportunities. Furthermore, even if those shortcomings are gradually reduced or eliminated, the benefits to early literacy development children are not in any way diminished, as they have continued to learn and move forward, maintaining their overall lead.

It isn’t immediately clear what events transpired in Barack Obama’s upbringing or parenting experiences to inspire him to endorse the fundamental principle of Read Aloud. However, it is certainly consistent with his stated goal of reforming No Child Left Behind and with his goal of investing in early childhood education. Obama wants to elevate science, inspire thinking, increase creativity, and more. And yes, Read Aloud can play an important role affecting all of these areas.

Read Aloud is not political or partisan issue. Read Aloud is simply a powerful child literacy development tool that any parent has within their power to provide to their child. According to Susan Frankenberg, “Read Aloud is a very low cost activity. Daily Read Aloud time is extremely flexible and can be tailored to meet the scheduling demands of virtually any family. Read Aloud can be introduced into a child’s life at any age. And last but not least, it requires as little as ten minutes a day to achieve positive, long-term results.”

Read Aloud Magic, by Susan Frankenberg, is a comprehensive new Read Aloud guide written specifically for parents who want practical Read Aloud information and advice in a fast-paced and easy-to-understand format. It is currently available through the Read Aloud Magic website. In the words of the author, “Read Aloud Magic is the perfect resource for any parent who wants to follow Barak Obama’s recommendation and begin providing the benefits of Read Aloud to their children. Every day that you delay getting started with Read Aloud is a lost opportunity, so don’t wait. Get started today.”

Susan Frankenberg is a professional educator, parent, author, and Read Aloud advocate. Her 20-year teaching career has included working with a diverse cross-section of students spanning grades 3-8. Read Aloud has been, and continues to be, an ongoing part of her daily routine. Her goal is to educate, motivate, and empower parents to achieve the life-long benefits available through a consistent program of reading to their children, and reading with their children, throughout the critical years of their child's development. Her website address is http://www.Read-Aloud-Magic.com and she can be reached via email at Susan@Read-Aloud-Magic.com or by telephone at (423) 756-7123 (Eastern U.S. time zone).