Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15, the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico declared its independence on September 16, and Chile on September 18.

The National Institute for Literacy is celebrating the rich history of Hispanic culture by featuring its Spanish-language reading resource: La Lectura es lo Primero, Cómo ayudar a su hijo a aprender a leer, (Put Reading First, Helping Your Child Learn to Read – A Parent Guide). The publication can be downloaded from our website or ordered through the Institute’s clearinghouse at 1-877-433-7827 (for English and Spanish) or http://www.edpubs.org.

For more Spanish-language information on children’s reading resources, visit WETA’s Colorin Colorado website, a free fully bilingual web-based service that provides information, activities, and advice for educators, and Spanish-speaking families of English language learners (ELLs). The National Institute for Literacy has supported the production of additional content on reading to Colorin Colorado.