Hello and welcome to all you Eager Readers, and those who want their children to become Eager Readers! This blog is for parents who ask questions like, How do I teach my child the alphabet? What literacy games can I play with my child? Do I really have to read this same story to my child for the 100th time!? What should I be teaching my child before he goes to school? What are some good books to buy for my child? We don’t speak English at home, is that going to put my child behind in school?
I plan to share personal insights, research, and most importantly, practical ways for parents to support their children’s literacy development at home. Topics will include the alphabet, oral language, storybooks, reading and writing, and ESL (English as a Second Language).
So what makes me qualified to provide this information? Let me introduce myself…My name is Tara Shaver. I became a teacher 18 years ago and have since taught in Canada, USA, UK and Australia. Throughout this time I have been dedicated to learning as much as I can about literacy teaching. I have taught hundreds of young children to read and write in my 8 years as a primary teacher and 7 years as a primary school Reading Specialist. Many of my students did not speak English at home, so I acquired my Master of Education in ESL to better meet the needs of all my students. Following this, I was also the sole ESL teacher for students aged 5 to 12 in an international school in London.
Now, I am a full-time mother to my 3-year-old son, and a part-time teacher and the creator of Eager Readers. Eager Readers offers one-hour weekly literacy and language classes for children aged 3 ½ and up. You can check out the rest of the website for more information!
