Reading is imperitive, but sometimes it is overlooked. Here are some fun strategies that families can do together to promote reading and writing.

Reading:

A. Create a family book club. Two, three or more family members can read the same book and then talk about it at a designated time. If you don't know what to talk about, ask questions about

1. Characters

2. Setting

3. Themes, particularly those that relate to the child/teens life.

4. How does this story relate to your family?

5. What did you like/dislike about the book?

Remember to keep your questions open ended, not just yes and no, to help create a nice discussion.

B. Play word games together. Gather around a scrabble board or a game of boggle. If you have trouble spelling, then that's more of a reason to practice. Just make sure that you have a dictionary handy.

C. Let technology get involved. Nintendo DS has a variety of word games, like "Crosswords" and "My Word Coach." These are fun and great vocabulary builders that will help with increased reading comprehension. Ask your kids, "did you play your video games tonight?"

D. Read aloud together. As students get older, they read aloud and listen to literature less, and noteably, many have a decreased interest in reading. Perhaps the two are related, so bring the literature to life. Sit around your coffee table and take turns reading. You can make it spooky by dimming the lights and reading Poe, or you can practice your British accents with a Shakespearean sonnet. Hey, you can even pick out your favorite piece of drama and act it out. It might be more fun than going to the movies!

Writing:

A. Challenge each member of the family to write a scary novel. Whoevers is the best gets ice cream, pizza, or published! Hey, that's how Mary Shelley came up with Frankenstein. Her piece was scarier than her husband's, Percy, and Lord Byron's.

B. Keep a dry erase board on the refridgerator and write notes back and forth everyday. Keep it simple, like "don't forget your lunch" or "I'm going to soccer practice after school," but keep it grammatically correct and write. The more you write the easier it gets.

C. Write, gasp, poetry. It's not as hard as it sounds. Read some poems online or in a textbook for inspiration, and then write your heart out! When your masterpiece is finished read it to your family. You can wow your audience by memorizing your poem and reciting it with slight emotion.

D. Search the Internet and your school for writing contests and enter them. Ask your family for ideas and help, but write it yourself. You may actually win!