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READING TIPS AND NOTES

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Your house and your daily life are full of opportunities to engage children in reading.

You can create scrapbooks or alphabet posters with your kids. You can write to-do lists together. You can even create mini-libraries in your house and encourage your children to arrange their books by subjects.

The U.S. Department of Education has plenty of other suggestions. Here are three of them:

Turn your children’s writing into a book

What you need:

Construction paper, yarn or ribbon, cardboard, colorful cloth or wrapping paper, paste, scissors.

Follow these easy steps:

* Paste pages of your child’s writing onto pieces of construction paper.

* Discuss the order of the writing. Should all the stories about animals go in one section and the tales about holidays in another?

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* Number the pages.

* Create a table of contents.

* Make covers for the book with cardboard or heavy paper. You might want to paste colorful cloth or wrapping paper onto the covers.

* Punch holes in the pages and covers.

* Bind the book together by lacing the yarn or ribbon through the holes. Tie the loose ends in bows.

* Add pages to the book as more writing is completed. Or start a new book.

Practice names together

* Print the letters of your child’s name on paper.

* Say each letter as you write it: “K-A-T-I-E” or “M-I-K-E.”

* When you finish, say, “That’s your name.”

* Have your child draw a picture.

* When finished, say, “I have an idea. Let’s put your name on your picture.” As you write the letters, say them out loud.

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* If you have magnet letters, spell out your child’s name on the refrigerator door.

* Print your child’s name on a card and put it on the bedroom door or some other special place.

Prepare a meal together

* Ask your children to help you write a grocery list.

* Take them to the market and have them find items on the list.

* Encourage them to read the labels and box tops.

* Have them read the ingredients for the recipe as you prepare a meal together.

* Talk about each of the steps.

BOOK EVENTS

* Today, Los Angeles: Jane Breskin Zalben and Ross Venokur sign their children’s books. Storyopolis, 116 N. Robertson Blvd., 11:30 a.m.

* Monday, Hollywood: Children will hear Thanksgiving stories and take part in a related crafts program. Los Angeles Public Library Memorial Branch, 4625 W. Olympic Blvd., 4 p.m. (323) 938-2732.

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* Wednesday, Woodland Hills: Sign-language teacher Kris Vreeland will use American Sign Language to tell stories and fables. Los Angeles Public Library, Woodland Hills Branch, 22200 Ventura Blvd., 3:30 p.m., (818) 887-0160

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