Listening and discussion skills are emphasized daily through these activities. The ability to read for pleasure and personal meaning is not a gift or a talent. It comes with the ability to choose, books to choose among, time to read, and teachers and parents who are readers. Selecting one's own books and reading them in school is not a luxury. It is the wellspring of student literacy and literary appreciation.
Personal reading is continued at home, with students reading a set period of time each evening.
Teachers communicate with parents to encourage discussion and sharing about what is being read. This extends to the summer reading programs. Parents are guided by the teachers to support this reading habit.