We can assume our kids are readers and writers. We can treat them as if they are fellow readers and writers, sharing a little about books we're enjoying, or asking their opinion about a story we've read together, We can read aloud a snippet from something we're writing and ask them to do the same, or exclaim over a lovely piece of description in a poem they've written.
We can actually call them readers and writers. This is just as important at home as it is at school, I believe. Naming is incredibly powerful. It reinforces a child's self-concept. I think it tends to make the name come to pass, akin to what some people call self-fulfilling prophecy. What does a reader do? A reader reads. What does a writer do? A writer writes.
And we can support them as readers and writers. If they enjoy a book we've shared and express interest in reading more by that author, we can take steps to help it happen. That might mean showing them how to put in a request at the library. It might mean taking them to the library, making sure they have and value a borrower's card. It could also entail locating the books at an out-of-the-way book shop, and driving there. If our child has the opportunity to attend a writing conference, or a talk by an author, we can support and encourage them to attend, because they'll meet others there who value reading and writing, and value them as readers and writers.
We can also take an interest in what they write, however small, and value it. If they have an interesting start to a story, we can point it out. If we can understand a word they're trying to spell, we can applaud their efforts. When they bring stories home from school, we can take a moment to read them, show interest and take note of their progress as writers. Whether their writing is an email full of typos or labels on a treasure map, it is valuable and the product of a writer.
Traci Gardner at NCTE INBOX says calling students writers is "... the simplest and most effective thing teachers (and families) can do. From the beginning, we need to recognize students as writers. Not "student writers," and certainly not just "students." They are writers, no matter how much they write or how polished their writing may be. When people believe they are writers, a whole world of possibilities opens up."
(You might also be interested in my articles, Help Kids Become Readers and Writers, How Do Kids Write a Book Review?, Writing with Avatars, My Hero, and The Reader's Bill of Rights. Or just browse!)
Image credit: timlewisnm on Flickr