How habit of reading books enhance your life skills?

Did you know that reading can keep your mind active and engaged well into old age?
Habit of reading books not only keeps your mind busy but it enhance your life skills in many ways. Read the benefits of reading books and decide yourself if it makes your life better or not?

Developing good reading skills means that you can think for yourself. That you can read about the advantages and disadvantages of anything from breast feeding to homeschooling to taking a vacation to Ireland. And then you make up your own mind about what's best for you and your family.

More benefits of reading books:

• When reading a book you gain not only knowledge but you share another person's view of the world.
• A book can comfort and console and be returned to again and again, like meeting an old friend.
• A book can grow with you. When you re-read it as your life develops, you will gain more and different insights into the work.
• Reading reduces stress
• It can be a thing of beauty.
• It feeds your spirit.
• It keeps your brain in shape. Similar to solve puzzles, reading books allows your mind to practice his skills of treatment.
• Develop your critical thinking skills: One of the main benefits of reading books is its ability to develop your critical thinking skills.
• It makes you more eloquent: Nothing is quite as reading books for you help become a better conversationalist.
• It is available: One of the great benefits of reading books is that the information that it can be viewed again and again.

You can buy books, hire from nearest library, browse through net or read ebooks, or simply hire from offline or online sources like 'booksfree'

Useful links:

* The Benefits of Reading

* 8 Benefits of Reading

* The 26 Major Advantages to Reading More Books

Encourage your kids to read books

At this tech age, our kids spend more time with computers than other outdoor or indoor activities. Reading books is a healthy habit which can be encouraged by providing online reading links to our kids. Parents can guide kids and teens providing site links or useful resources for online ebooks. Good news is that most of the online resources provide free access to the stuff either it is an ebook, video, audio, or a power point presentation. 'Tar

'Tar Heel Reader' is an online free site  for beginning readers of all ages. Books are easy to read with big words which teachers can use in classroom for development of language and reading skills.

More about the site:
Link: 'Tar Heel Reader' 

Many of us many think that the site name is strange, so the explainaiton is that 'Tar Heel is a nickname for the state and people of North Carolina. And the name comes from the fact that tar, pitch and turpentine created from the vast pine forests were one of North Carolina's most important exports early in the state's history

More about the site:

It offers a collection of free, easy-to-read, and accessible books on a wide range of topics. It fulfills the needs of older students as well who do not have access to easy-to-read, motivating, and age-appropriate text.

The books may be downloaded as slide shows in PowerPoint, Impress, or Flash format. Each book can be speech enabled and accessed using multiple interfaces. Site also offers books in other languages such as Arabic, German, French, Latin etc.

Facts: Books have been read in 133 countries and all 50 US states. They have books in 12 languages. Over 25,000 books are currently being read each week. Over 100 new books are added each week.

How to search at the site for appropriate reading?

These are suggested audience ratings. Rated E/Everyone means the book is appropriate for everyone. Books marked Rated C/Caution may have content that is not appropriate for some readers. The Favorites page is a good way to give your readers a selection of books that you have approved.

You can download a slide show of a book easily. Just follow these simple steps:
Go to the first page of the book. On the left side you’ll see a column of buttons. The second is labeled Setup. It will take you to the reading controls page. There you’ll see links to download the book as PowerPoint, Impress, or Flash.


Experienced educators who are knowledgeable about beginning readers of all ages review books published on Tar Heel Reader.

Write a book!

You can also write a book and submit at the site. You need to get registration for writing a book;

- Sign up for free at the registration page. They recommend you to read about the Beginning Literacy Framework before beginning to write. It will help you appreciate the kind of books they seek.

Reading And Homework Help Resource

I am in search of the sites which provide parents and teachers with positive and helpful information regarding academic related issues for our children. I personally learn and use this knowledge to enhance my teaching and hope that parents and teachers would get help and guidance from the resoruce and links I provide at this blog.

'Math and Reading help for kids' is a comprehensive directory site including hundreds of original articles and resources dealing with children's education. The site is equally helpful for parents and teachers.

The purpose of this site is to provide a centralized information portal that can help parents and children make better decisions about school-related issues. Although most of the articles on this site are written for parents, there is also a 'Just for Kids' section designed specifically for children.

Mission: (In their own words)
Studies show that teens are reading less often and fewer of them are obtaining critical literacy skills. We support the American Library Association (ALA)and Young Adult Library Service Association's (YALSA) mission that our children deserve the best. We also believe in the need to actively promote reading while advocating for the strengthening of young adult library services. Our goal is to continue to find new ways of providing quality educational resources. We are indebted to the hard work from our librarian contributors as well as quality parental feedback that help us make this a more complete academic resource.

Unique Math and Reading Help Content

Homework and Studying Help Section: Provides a comprehensive directory of homework and study help articles for parents to incorporate into their child's educational developement. Topics include creating an environment for good study habits, helping children prepare for tests, as well as math and reading help.

How To's and Tips for Parents Section:

This section helps provide parents with the necessary tools to help children enjoy learning as well as creating a positive environment for academic success. Subjects range from preventing summer learning loss to tips and advice on teaching children specific concepts learned in class such as fractions and decimals.

Reading Help Section:

This area covers several age groups ranging from early childhood to high school. Topics range from building strong literary skills to suggested reading lists for all age groups.

Educational Games:
Our most popular area for children. Fun and simple educational games to help children improve their math and literacy skills. Games cover a variety of subject matter including math, spelling and memory retention.


- Tips for Helping Children Achieve Academic Success

- If your child is struggling with math or falling behind in reading, you may want to consider a tutor. This page contains articles on tutoring - from determining if your child needs a tutor to finding and working with the tutor. There is also information on online tutoring, tutoring centers and becoming a tutor.
Article Directory: Tutoring

- Article Directory: This section provides articles on homework help for a variety of subjects, including math, reading, English and science. The articles discuss different types of homework assignments, working with due dates and how you can help them without doing the project for them. Select a topic below for specific information.
Homework Help

Download millions of e-books at "Wrorld E-Book Fair" -2008

I am always in search of free stuff at the net and the regaular readers of this blog know that I share my free stuff links with them. Today I am here to inform you about an event which is a revolutioanary offer of downlading FREE e-books from the world wide web. For students, kids and teachers of course, this is a good chance to read your favourite e-books online, or you can save the books at your computer as well.

"Word E-Book Fair" is providing golden opportunity for reading lovers to downlad millions of e-books FREE of cost.

More information:

Third Annual World eBook Fair: July 4th to August 4th
Just two years ago The First World eBook Fair came on the scene with about 1/3 million books, doubled to 2/3 million in 2008, and now over one million.


Created by contributions from 100+ eLibraries from around the world, here are the largest collections.

As of midnight Central Daylight Time July 4, 2008 these are the approximate numbers:
100,000+ from Project Gutenberg
500,000+ from The World Public Library
450,000+ from The Internet Archive
160,000+ from eBooks About Everything
17,000+ from IMSLP

Grand Total = 1,227,000+

• Full Text Search of 500,000+ PDF eBook Titles in 100+ Languages.
• Open Access to eBooks from 7/04/08 to 8/04/08.

Which collection they are offering?

Search the collection page.
Start from this link: Browse the collection.

"Reading Rocket"- helping kids learn to read

Reading Rocket is a comprehensive and daily updated web site that includes reading news headlines, research-based articles, tips for parents and educators, video interviews with top children's book authors, a monthly e-newsletter, national and local resources, an online store, and much more.

"Reading Rocket" is a national multimedia project that offers research-based and best-practice information on teaching kids to read and helping those who struggle. It is an educational service of public television station WETA in Washington, D.C.

The National Institutes of Health estimates that one in five children has serious difficulties learning to read. These children are potentially among the most troubled kids in society. With early identification and a lot of help, however, children who struggle to read can flourish; without it they are at risk for failure in school and in life.

ReadingRockets.org

Since 1965, the federal government has invested more than $100 million to find out why so many children have problems learning to read and what can be done. Thanks to that research, we now know how to identify children at risk and how to help them before they fail. Reading Rockets' mission is to take that research-based and best-practice information and make it available to as many people as possible through the power and reach of television and the Internet.

Mission:
Reading Rockets aims to inform and inspire parents, teachers, childcare providers, administrators, and others who touch the life of a child by providing accurate, accessible information on how to teach kids to read and help those who struggle.

- The project is guided by an advisory panel made up of leading researchers and experts in the field of reading. They produce and distribute research-based PBS television programs, online services, and professional development opportunities, which are available at no cost.

* Teachers page gives you information that's research-based on how to teach reading effectively.
- Strategies to Help Kids Who Struggle

Sign up for free newsletters to receive news and information about key issues in reading, learning disabilities, and other areas of learning.

* Free print guides created for parents, teachers, and others who want to improve the reading achievement of children. You're welcome to download and print these guides for your own use.
Link: Reading Guides

- Download link of the guides: Guides from Reading Rockets
- These are many of our favorite guides, published by organizations devoted to reading and literacy issues: Guides from Other Organizations