As part of National Literacy Month, educators in Arizona classrooms are investing in long-term strategies to improve student literacy.

They marked their efforts this week with Read Across America Day, which falls on the birthday of Theodore Geisel, or Dr. Seuss, the prolific and popular children's author.

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose." That famous quote from Geisel motivates teachers to interest their students in reading.

National Education Association president Becky Pringle, who has more than 30 years of classroom teaching experience, is in Arizona this week. She said parents also play a huge role in the future of literacy.

"You are their role model," she said. "If they see you reading, or if you take out time from your day and read to them, or listen to them read to you, that not only is a model for them that you enjoy reading and you think it's important, but it's an aspiration for them, too."

During National Literacy Month, the association encourages kids to spend lots of time in the library. It also reminds parents of the importance of reading to their children, and encourages them to leave books everywhere kids spend time – in their bedrooms, around the house, and even in the car.

In Arizona, tens of thousands of students don't speak English as their primary language. Pringle said educators here are focused on making sure those kids have the ability to read books in their language, too.

"It's so important that all of our students know that we see them," she said, "and they know that we're going to make sure that we incorporate into their curriculum and their opportunities books that reflect their culture, that reflect their language, that reflect their traditions."

Pringle is in Arizona to work with schools that are focused on bilingual education programs, and learn about the progress those programs are making in a state where nearly 100,000 students primarily speak Spanish.

Source: Public News Service