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The early years are a critical time in language and literacy development. 90% of a child’s brain is developed before the age of five. Early literacy activities create more brain connections in the area of cognitive development and language. The reading network in the child’s brain doesn’t naturally exist; it must be built.  During the early […]

Did you know? There is new research that confirms early reading for fun with young children is linked to many positive outcomes.

What an honor to have Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin, distinguished guests and E3 School alumni with us for the Governor’s salary donation. The donation will help fund scholarships to increase equitable access for more children and the Lisa Robertson Literacy Lab + Library @ The New E3 School. The Robertson […]

What to Do with Babies Talk. Talk. Talk. They need to hear words to help their brains develop. Repeat the sounds they make back to them. Talk about what you are doing as you unload the groceries, cook dinner or go through town. Use books to provide back and forth interactions. Read aloud using a […]

Reading aloud and listening to a story benefits all children at every age. Listening to a story will: •Ignite a ❤️ of reading. •Boost language development in young children. •Build vocabulary and comprehension. •Spark creativity + the imagination. •Develop problem-solving + critical-thinking skills. Research says that reading to a young child will boost their language […]

Dear Advocates + Friends: We cannot thank you enough for the calls, emails, letters and texts you sent to make early literacy a top priority during the 2024 General Assembly session. It truly was a team effort and it worked! There were hundreds of letters sent to legislators. Thanks in part to your advocacy, the […]

Books Improve Literacy Outcomes for ALL Children! Every child deserves access to age-appropriate, high-quality books that spark a love of reading + learning! Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Virginia (DPIL) – HB 1075 DPIL is a book gifting program that mails books to children before they enter kindergarten. The books come with tips and tools […]

Dear Advocates: It is budget time and legislators need to hear from you again! Thank you for all of your support of the literacy policy initiatives that are critical to building, implementing + investing in the Virginia Literacy Act(VLA) to help more children read by third grade. Recent data tells us that 1 in 6 […]

Dear Advocates: The big game may be over, but it is “halftime” at the General Assembly. If we take action and run the right plays, we can secure big wins for our children, families, teachers and schools. The first eight years are a critical time in a child’s language and literacy development. A child’s ability […]

Dear Advocates + Friends: When I think back to my childhood, I was fortunate to grow up in a house filled with books, newspapers and people reading all around me and to me. We played word games, sang songs, made rhymes, talked about the books we read and had conversations. Every month I could not […]

Dear Friends, This week we celebrate and honor the incredible life of an amazing advocate, leader, mother of five grown children, wife and friend.  Lisa Robertson was an active leader in women’s ministry, founded Changing Seasons, authored and led Bible studies, published an Advent guide and served on the boards of the Museum of the […]

I was talking with a colleague the other day about how important early literacy is during the first five years. If you think about constructing a building, it begins with laying a strong foundation. That is exactly what we want to do when we help our children, families and teachers during the early years. It […]

Families can help children build a strong foundation of language skills by turning everyday moments into learning.

Here are a few tips to make learning + reading fun for your family.

These activities will help to boost your child’s language development, creativity and build early skills in math and reading.