Paige Dinn

Paige Dinn, Coordinator, Parenthood Programs, Del Mar College
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Joining us will be Katrina Steinocher, Executive Director of the Women's Shelter of South Texas; Paige Dinn, Coordinator of Parenthood Programs with Del Mar College and Ann Berry with Family Outreach.

Another important component to teaching young children is setting an example, said Paige Dinn, coordinator of Parenthood Program with Del Mar's early learning center.

"Books have a special language that we don't use in everyday language," she said."There's a rhythm and a flow.Book language has patterns."

Parents need to show their children how the patterns work and that they, too, read for pleasure or study, she said.

"Repeated readings of the same book increase comprehension, and they love to read the same book over and over again because they get something new every time you read it," Dinn said."But challenge children with new books."

The center teaches parents to make reading fun by reading expressively.But other activities enhance learning, too, such as pointing out road signs while driving to help children connect words and concepts.

Ogonnaya Okoroji, 38, immigrated to the United States from Nigeria, where she spoke Ibo, the native language of her eastern tribe, the Igbo.