Help us celebrate Georgia Reads Aloud Day on March 19, 2013. This annual event recognizes the impact of reading on children’s lives. Everyone can participate! We encourage early care and learning providers, teachers, parents, and entire communities to make a special effort to read to children of all ages on this day.

This year, we are joining forces with Governor and Mrs. Deal by hosting this event in conjunction with their month-long initiative, Read Across Georgia.

“Reading has a huge impact in the lives of our state’s youngest learners and Read Across Georgia and Georgia Reads Aloud Day are great ways for everyone to get involved,” said DECAL Commissioner Bobby Cagle. “Both programs support Governor Deal’s goal to have all of Georgia’s children reading on grade level by third grade.”

Be sure to go to the DECAL website and record the number of books your class reads on the Book Counter. The counter will be available from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on March 19. The class that reads the most books that day will receive a special visit and reading from Georgia’s First Lady Sandra Deal and DECAL Commissioner Bobby Cagle.

New Video Teaches Parents How to Build a Foundation for Reading Success With Their Children
The message has been clear from countless sources: parents need to read to their children. But what parents really need to know is how they read makes all the difference in the development of their children’s vocabulary, comprehension and critical thinking skills. Research has shown that by reading with their children – not to them – parents greatly increase children’s language and literacy, developing the foundation they need to enter kindergarten as strong, confident learners on a path to grade level reading and so much more - for a lifetime. To help parents learn key things to do at story time, the Rollins Center for Language & Learning at the Atlanta Speech School has partnered with the Junior League of Atlanta to produce the complimentary video READ. In just five minutes, parents learn what they can do to make books come alive for their children and increase their learning: Repeat Books, Engage and Enjoy, Ask Questions, and Do More. This video is narrated by Justin Cook, a 2010 graduate of the Atlanta Speech School’s Wardlaw School, and is posted on the school’s website, atlantaspeechschool.org.

The following resources to help make Georgia Reads Aloud Day successful are available to download: