Today's digital natives are primarily "tech comfy." Teens may need to show adults how to use SnapChat, but age and experience help adults know more about how to evaluate the content on this platform and other digital spaces.

In order to create critical thinkers who are able to comprehend, analyze, and evaluate digital content, educators must be intentional in preparing  students for 21st century learning. That includes reading content on the screen from a variety of sources—blogs, social media posts, databases, articles, and forums.

Establishing a culture of reading in your students' homes for the holidays can be manageable with some free resources, and a little bit of planning. You can help students and their families start a tradition at home that promotes the joy of books with these five tips.

There's no doubt about it: when parents are involved, students do better. According to the Family Engagement Collaborative of the Miami Valley, family engagement in schools leads to higher student achievement and graduation rates, fewer behavioral problems, better self-esteem, and stronger performance by students from diverse backgrounds. 

There will always be barriers to family engagement, but framing it as an "opportunity for all" can help schools move beyond the barriers. The Framework Institute advises that promoting family engagement as an equity issue and policy matter focuses the initiative on inclusivity and opportunities for achievement for all children and will help schools look at how current practices may exclude some students and families. Introduce the high-quality instructional materials available at no cost from INFOhio to families to help remove barriers and provide opportunities for all.

Let INFOhio, Ohio's PreK-12 digital library, be your school district's partner as you accelerate and extend student learning. INFOhio offers a variety of PreK-12 digital learning resources at no cost to Ohio's students, educators, and parents that can support the Simple View of Reading and the Simple View of Writing's framework that includes foundational transcription skills, self-regulation and executive function skills, and the development of text generation or translation skills. Writing skills are supported across the Language and Literacy Development Continuum. 

Let INFOhio, Ohio's PreK-12 digital library, be your school district's partner as you accelerate and extend student learning. INFOhio offers a variety of PreK-12 digital learning resources at no cost to Ohio's students, educators, and parents that can support the Simple View of Reading's foundational literacy skills of vocabulary acquisition across the Language and Literacy Development Continuum. 

Learn how to use the Simple View of Reading as a guide to extend and accelerate learning for your students with INFOhio authentic texts. Webinar recording now available. 

Let INFOhio, Ohio's PreK-12 digital library, be your school district's partner as you accelerate and extend student learning. INFOhio offers a variety of PreK-12 digital learning resources at no cost to Ohio's students, educators, and parents that can support the Simple View of Reading's foundational literacy skills of building background knowledge across the Language and Literacy Development Continuum. 

Let INFOhio, Ohio's PreK-12 digital library, be your school district's partner as you accelerate and extend student learning. INFOhio offers a variety of PreK-12 digital learning resources at no cost to Ohio's students, educators, and parents that can support the Simple View of Reading's foundational literacy skills of fluency and automaticity across the Language and Literacy Development Continuum. 

School districts across the state of Ohio are designing and creating Extended Learning Plans to elevate student success and accelerate learning by designing and creating various opportunities like lengthening the current school year, adding time to instructional days, offering more tutoring opportunities, or creating summer learning activities and experiences.

Part of this plan requires districts to share the resources and partnerships that will be included in their plan. Let INFOhio, Ohio's PreK-12 digital library, be your school district's partner as you accelerate student learning. INFOhio offers a variety of PreK-12 digital learning resources at no cost to Ohio's students, educators, and parents that can support literacy skills including foundational skills of alphabet knowledge and writing letters across the Language and Literacy Development Continuum. 

School districts across the state of Ohio are designing and creating Extended Learning Plans to elevate student success and accelerate learning by designing and creating various opportunities like lengthening the current school year, adding time to instructional days, offering more tutoring opportunities, or creating summer learning activities and experiences.

Part of this plan requires districts to share the resources and partnerships that will be included in their plan. Let INFOhio, Ohio's PreK-12 digital library, be your school district's partner as you accelerate student learning. INFOhio offers a variety of PreK-12 digital learning resources at no cost to Ohio's students, educators, and parents that can support literacy skills across the Language and Literacy Development Continuum. 

INFOhio is happy to provide Highlights Library which contains over 2,600 eBooks and videos for students in grades PreK-5. Learn more about this resource, the features which support reading, and best practices for integrating its quality digital text into your classroom with the newest class in the INFOhio K-5 Digital Content Learning Pathway.

Classic childhood books capture the joy and freedom of play and imagination. The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is one of those. This award-winning book tells the story of Peter and the adventures he has on a snowy day. Readers young and old can imagine the red snow-suited figure of a young boy playing in the wintry city. Many will also remember that Peter is an African-American child, and recognize that childhood delights are not determined by race, location, or gender. Everyone has fun in the snow.

It's autumn—cooler temperatures, shorter days, crisper air, and yes, runnier noses. It's a great time to teach your little learners about the change of seasons and how they affect the world around them. Check out these resources and tips from INFOhio to help teach your PreK-3 students about autumn.

Are your young readers getting the most out of the digital era? Watch the recording of this School Library Journal webinar to hear about best reading practices for early literacy and strategies for teaching PreK-Grade 3 students.

Using digital text and tools is a way to engage readers in text, as well as empower them with one of the most critical needs for their future—digital literacy. INFOhio is dedicated to providing high-quality digital content, resources, and tools for students and teachers in Ohio that will develop the necessary skills for early literacy, inquiry, and college and career readiness.