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Ring,
Ring, Ring…it is the phone again. Whether the cellular phone or the
portable
on the kitchen table, phones seem to be a strong part of today’s
society.
Believe it or not, reading is incorporated on the telephone too. The
majority
of libraries have reading lines that cater to children who are looking
for a great story.
Across
the country
libraries are involved with bringing reading to the young by their
reading
lines. The premise is simple – if you can’t get to the library to read
a story, then you can call to listen.
Once a
week (sometimes
more frequently) a new story is placed on a recorder that can be called
by anyone. The stories, lasting anywhere from 5 – 15 minutes, are
interesting
journeys that appeal to children. Using inflections of the voice,
librarians are able to pull the joys of library reading time into a
digital
format accommodating today’s busy lifestyle yet holding your child’s
interest.
If your child had the particular book at home, they could easily follow
along or if they are just listening they can picture the images in
their
minds.
Reading
lines are
not the only place on the telephone where you can find words being used
that maybe interesting for kids. In big cities like New York and
Chicago
there is a daily quote line. Once called a prerecorded quote is recited
on the telephone (usually positive) for listening. High school students
in these areas are sometimes required to call the lines daily for
listening
and dictating skills as homework. There is the time and
temperature
number found in almost every city that can be called to listen or to
write
down and keep track of the current conditions.
There is
no wonder
why reading lines are successful. Found across the country, they cross
language barriers as well. In the Los Angeles area, you can hear a
story
in Italian, English, Spanish, German Chinese, Japanese, and French with
just a touch of a keypad. Libraries in the area also have stories on
their
websites and some even have RealPlayer for the kids to listen too.
Encouraging
reading
can be done by example. Giving kids a taste of what lies on the pages
of
the written words will no doubt encourage them to find out more about
the
library and of course books.
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