Welcome to our Literacy Resources page, where you can find a variety of materials to support your reading journey and enhance family literacy.
Our resources include:
- Reading Tip Sheets: Practical advice and strategies to improve reading skills for children and adults.
- Family Literacy Resources: Activities and programs designed to engage families in reading together.
- Volunteer Training Materials: Guides and tools for those interested in supporting our community as literacy volunteers.
We believe that literacy is a shared journey, and these resources are here to help you and your family thrive. Whether you are a parent, caregiver, or community member, we invite you to explore these materials and enhance your reading experience.
Putting These Resources to Work at Home and in the Community
Good materials only help when they become part of everyday life. Here are some practical ways to get the most from the tip sheets, family activities and training guides gathered here, whether you are reading with a toddler, supporting a teenager or brushing up your own skills.
Start small and stay consistent
Fifteen or twenty minutes of shared reading most days often does more than an occasional long session. Pick a regular moment, such as after dinner, on the bus or before bed, and keep a few books or printed pages within easy reach. For beginning readers, rereading a familiar story builds fluency and confidence. Children enjoy knowing what comes next, and they start to recognise words on their own.
Talk before, during and after reading
Conversation is one of the strongest literacy tools a family has. Look at the cover together and guess what the book might be about. Pause to ask what a character might do next, and connect the story to your own neighborhood, family or experiences. These small exchanges build vocabulary and comprehension, and they work in any language spoken at home.
Use the library and everyday print
Memphis public libraries offer free cards, children's collections and programs throughout the year, so they are a natural partner to the materials on this page. Reading does not have to stop at books. Recipes, street signs, menus, game instructions and sports scores all give readers of every age a chance to practise.
For adult learners and volunteers
Adults improving their own reading benefit from materials that match their goals, whether that means filling out forms, reading with their children or preparing for a job. Volunteers can use the training guides to plan sessions that are encouraging and patient and that focus on the learner's progress, not on mistakes. If you would like hands-on support, see our programs for tutoring and family reading nights, or learn how to become a tutor on the volunteer page.
If you have a question about which resource fits your situation, please get in touch. We are happy to point you in the right direction.