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Born to Read Literacy Program to be Hosted at Delta State University

By September 9, 2011General

Born to Read, an early literacy story time for babies and toddlers up to age four, will make its return to the Delta State University campus.

The program will meet at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 14 – November 16 and November 30, inside the Instructional Resources Center of the Roberts-LaForge Library on the campus. Students from Delta State’s College of Education and the IRC staff members will provide the programs each week.
 
Born to Read is designed to promote literacy, the love of language and to spotlight for parents and caregivers the value and necessity of singing, speaking and reading to babies. The joy of sharing books and reading to babies is the greatest gift to enhance a child’s educational future.
 
Emergent or early literacy is what children know about reading and writing before they actually read or write. Listening to language lays the ground work for reading. During the enjoyable experience of listening, the child is immersed in language, which is how babies learn to understand words and then to speak them. Sharing books with young children starts them on the path to language, reading and writing well before they can understand the printed word.
 
Additionally, a child’s brain develops at an incredible rate during the first three years of life. A child’s early experiences with language contribute to healthy brain development and lay the foundation for learning to read. Researchers agree that children are more likely to become good readers if they start school with these accomplishments: comprehend and express themselves with a wide range of words; name the letters of the alphabet; and exposure to a wide variety of literary experiences and appreciate books and stories.
 
Parents and caregivers are invited to bring their child to participate in the free Born to Read program. Space is limited, so please call the IRC at (662) 846-4345 or (662) 846-4347 to reserve your place in the program. Parking is available in the parking lot located on the south side of the Aquatic Center Swimming Pool. The entrance of the library faces North and the back of the girls’ dormitory Cleveland Hall. Each child must be accompanied by a parent or an adult.

For more information, contact Margaret Swanson, Instructional Resources Librarian, Delta State Library Services at (662) 846-4347 or e-mail mswanson@deltastate.edu.