National Family Literacy Day

In 1994, Congress issued Joint Resolution 413 declaring November 1st Family Literacy Day. This day is observed every year to raise awareness about the importance of family literacy and the crucial role it plays in developing children’s ability to communicate effectively. Literacy skills are fundamental for success in life, and today serves as a powerful reminder that learning valuable skills doesn’t just happen in school, but also at home. Parents are encouraged to foster effective opportunities to bond with their children and teach them reading and learning skills with daily routines. Taking the time to engage with your children to strengthen their learning skills will also build a family bond. Activities such as drawing, writing, reading, singing, and talking will help improve children’s literacy skills.

Here are five important skills your child should learn:

1. Phonics:  A method for teaching children to read and write by teaching them the relationship between the sounds of spoken language and the written letters, syllables, or groups of letters
2. Alphabet:  A standard set of letters written to represent sounds in a spoken language.
3. Fluency:  The ability to read a text accurately, quickly, and with expression
4. Vocabulary:  A list or collection of words or of words and phrases usually alphabetically arranged and explained or defined
5. Comprehension:  The ability to understand completely and be familiar with a situation or facts

Illinois House Republicans have created The Literacy Improves Future Endeavors (LIFE) working group which focuses on improving literacy for the next generation. During the Covid-19 pandemic, many students experienced learning loss in key areas of literacy. The mission from House Republicans is to restore and improve literacy for students across Illinois so they can have a bright future and have the skills needed to navigate through life effectively. The state-wide literacy plan includes retaining and recruiting teachers, improving outcomes for kids, and empowering parents to be more engaged with teachers as they work together to improve the overall learning experience for children. House Republicans have a bold legislative package of bills that would benefit every child in Illinois and improve their communication skills.

• HB 1213:  Scholarships for teachers to receive a Master’s Degree in dual credit courses 
• HB 1297:  Allows teachers to receive pension credit for teaching in private schools
• HB 4066:  Establishes the Parent Advisory Committee in ISBE and requires school boards to implement a policy allowing parents to review curricula.
• HB 4067:  Allows for literacy related teacher professional development
• HB 4068:  Extends sunset for additional return to service for retired teachers
• HB 4069:  Allows for those fluent in a foreign language with a bachelor's to teach school foreign language courses. Establishes a teacher apprenticeship program
• HB 4070:  Comprehensive Literacy Plan
• HR 256:  Read with your Child Week

State Representative Dave Severin (R-Benton) is the House Republican head of the Literacy Improves Future Endeavors (LIFE) working group. Severin’s wife Penny is a retired elementary schoolteacher, his daughter-in-law is a current schoolteacher, and Severin served for more than 20 years on the Benton School Board. The 116th district State Representative says Family Literacy Day is a great chance for parents to connect with their kids through reading.

“I miss the days of reading books to my son and my grandsons. We had such a great time with it, and it was a great way to connect with them and reinforce reading as an important way to learn for a lifetime,” Severin said. “As the head of the Literacy Improves Future Endeavors House Republican working group, I have met with dozens of education and literacy advocates over the last couple of years who expressed to me that we have issues with students falling behind on literacy learning achievement. That is due to several factors. One of those factors is that kids aren’t reading books at home with their parents, opting instead for playing video games on their consoles or tablets. One way I’ve tried to help close this gap is by hosting a summer reading program through my office and offering a pool party for the whole family as a reward for students reading during their summer break. On this Family Literacy Day, I want to encourage my constituents to grab a great book, sit down with your kid or your grandkid, and make a strong connection by reading to them or having them read to you. Happy Family Literacy Day!”

Today is a day to celebrate and bring awareness to the important role families play in elevating their children’s education through fundamental literacy. Families are encouraged to lead by example at home and engage with their children to foster a stable foundation to learn from. Let’s all come together and celebrate Family Literacy Day and spread the message about supporting the next generation and the significance of families who inspire their children to thrive with strong literacy skills.

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Read more about the Literacy Improves Future Endeavors House Republican working group.