Regardless of the language you use with your child, you can extend his literacy skills by reading, writing, and talking together as much as possible. Make shopping lists and write letters to special people together. Look at cookbooks and make your child's favorite recipes together. Tell stories together and write them down so you and your child can revisit them later. Read different types of books together, from poetry to storybooks to nonfiction. Talk to your child about the books he reads, his experiences, and what he imagines. By talking and reading to your child each day, by reading and writing yourself, and by listening to your child read to you, you will encourage a love of language and a lifelong love of reading.

Excerpt from "Learning Two Languages." Reprinted with permission from PBS Parents.