Promoting Literacy: Part One (Hosting a Literacy Night)

In addition, one way we promote literacy in our school is to involve our families in helping our students become lifelong readers. So this September we hosted our 2nd annual literacy night. The theme this year was a Luau. Besides that, our literacy luau was a big hit. So I thought I’d let you know how to host one of your own.

1. Create a Committee.

There is no way I could have pulled off this literacy night without the help of many of the classroom teachers. We met about a month before to plan.

2. Feed Them
Furthermore, we provide our families with a free pizza dinner sponsored by our PTO. When there is food, they will come. In order to ensure we have enough pizza we send home an invitation with an RSVP. Then parents are to return the slip and in return they receive coupons for dinner.

3. Host a Book Fair
What better way to promote reading, then by hosting a book fair during your literacy night? This year we are having several books fairs. Besides, we’ll do our usual Scholastic Book Fairs, but we also partnered with Joseph Beth, a local bookstore to host a fair. They were amazing, our school made money for books for the classrooms and our parents and students were able to buy books to take home. This is also gives them another reason to attend.

4. Make it Hands On
Later, we wanted to make several of our stations hands on. Not only did this help us show our parents some simple ways to practice words, vocabulary and spelling at home, but it also gave our students a chance to practice the activities.

5. Give Parents Useful Information
Don’t overwhelm parents with too much research and teacher talk. Teach them practical and simple ways to help their child with reading at home. Lastly, share the most important tools and tricks to help their child become a more accurate and fluent reader.

And finally, have fun! I love seeing our kids and families coming together to share our love of literacy. To see lots of literacy night pictures from last year, CLICK HERE.