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July 11, 2009

Read together this summer: It's a positive way to build a lifelong habit

Courier-News Online

By PAUL C. GRZELLA • MANAGING EDITOR • July 10, 2009

HILLSBOROUGH — At Hillsborough Library, younger children can often be found reading to pre-teens and teenagers.

It's part of an ongoing program called Reading Buddies, and the program's aim is to build competence, understanding and interest among budding readers, so that opening a book becomes a life-long habit.

"It's a shared reading time where the younger reader can talk about what they read, and it helps the child build reading competence," said Laura Mellor, youth services librarian. "We're trying to foster a love of reading and increase reading skills. Just like a parent can be a role model when it comes to reading, this is another way to present this behavior to young children."

In the 2009 Super Summer Reader Club, sponsored by the Courier News, Home News Tribune and MyCentralJersey.com, some of the club members are preschoolers or in early primary grades, and many parents and older siblings read to these young club members as part of the program.

According to area librarians and parents, this is the perfect behavior to follow because reading together creates connections and core competencies that younger children can build on throughout their lives.

The Hillsborough Library Reading Buddies program is geared for children in grades two to and four, and their reading buddies are from sixth grade to high school seniors. During the summer, two sessions a day are offered on Tuesdays and Thursday, and one session a day is available on Wednesday. Mellor said she has about six to 10 reading buddy volunteers during a given week. This is the third summer the program is being offered at the library, but it also was offered during the spring, with the help of an intern, and Mellor hopes to continue it after school in the fall.

"I think I can grow this program even more," Mellor said.

The young readers can bring their own reading material, or choose from selected books at the library. "Volunteers also can sit and read by themselves — it's another great way to model the behavior to the younger readers," Mellor added.

Mary Dombrowski is a Hillsborough High School senior. A Reading Buddy in the library program, she likes to read herself, and also reads at home to her two younger brothers.

"Being part of this program is a way to exercise my ability and enjoy something that I like to do," she said.

This reader, who likes all types of books, but especially historical fiction, said she has been surprised by how easy it has been to work with the younger readers, and also by how quickly they learn and improve their reading comprehension.

"Normally, I don't sit and think about what I'm reading, but being part of this program also has helped me analyze my own reading skills," Dombrowski added.

Lisa Romano has long read to her two children, Hailey, entering second grade, and Olivia, who is entering Kindergarten. She began when they were infants at bedtime.

"I believe it was a great bonding time," the Monroe resident said.

This year, she has noticed that her older daughter wanted to read more, and also to read to her younger sister.

"I sat down and helped them at the beginning, but now they are just doing it on their own," said Romano, who is herself an avid reader. "What I have come to understand is that my children have an astounding vocabulary, and are able to express themselves in ways far beyond their ages. I think that is the result of reading all the books that we have done over the years."

Romano is a big believer in reading programs like the Super Summer Reader Club, and has high praise for her "fantastic" township library, which has all types of incentives and programs for summer reading.

"It all works together," she added.

James Sheeley of Branchburg grew up in a family of readers. His mother was teacher, and he remembers going to the library every summer to get books.

Today, he and his wife, Alaine, make sure that reading is a key part of the summer for their five children, who range in age from 9 to 8 months old. That includes occasionally coming in from the outside and sitting down to read a book!

Mr. Sheeley, who is supervisor of performing arts for Newark Public Schools, tries to make sure that he reads with his children each night. He looks forward to that reading time and if misses it, he said "it really bug me."

"The ability to read is so crucial to the success of my children," he said. "No matter how far we go in technology, we still need to be able to read. Reading is the basis for everything we do in our lives."

Posted by tumulty at July 11, 2009 7:51 AM

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