Born to Read, a program for babies and toddlers up to age three that debuted last year at Delta State University, is scheduled to make its return to campus next week. The program, scheduled to run each Wednesday from Oct. 5 through Nov. 30, will be held at 10 a.m. in the Instructional Resources Center (IRC), located on the first floor of the Roberts-LaForge Library.
Born to Read is armed with a mission 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. Students from the DSU College of Education will provide the programs each week.
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 Born to Read program. Space is limited, so please call the Delta State Library/IRC at (662) 846-4347 or 846-4345 by Oct. 4 to reserve your place in the program. Each child must be accompanied by a parent or an adult.
