Early Literacy Early Literacy and and

School ReadinessSchool Readiness

By Tina Sherlock

We once believed learning how to

read was a natural process like

learning how to walk.

We now know that learning to read is a social process that begins right from birth.

Young children will not simply “figure out” literacy if left to their own devices.

Adults play a critical role by providingrich literacy experiences and by interacting with them in those experiences.

“The single most important activity for building understandings and skills essential to reading success appears to be reading aloud to children.” NAEYC

The foundations

of literacy are learnedin the

families.

What are some things we can do as parents?

1. Find time to read with your 1. Find time to read with your child.child.

• make sure you are both in a good mood

• create a cozy space for reading

• read often- not just at bedtime!

The warm and safe feeling that children get from sharing books with adults at an early age will likely follow them throughout their lives.

2. 2. Children who enjoy books will want to learn how to read.

2. Talk with your child2. Talk with your child

Have regular conversations, talk about your feelings and your child’s feelings and ask exploratory questions.

Oral language is the

foundation of reading!

3. Provide opportunities for 3. Provide opportunities for storytellingstorytelling

• Act out stories with stuffed animals, dolls or puppets

• Tell family stories

• Encourage your child to re-tell favorite stories

Playing with stories and storytelling helps children understand the structure of stories.

4. Help foster an awareness of 4. Help foster an awareness of printprint

• point out signs/ print in the environment

• allow your child to help with:• grocery lists• labels on coat racks, toy boxes• recipes while cooking

An awareness of print helps children feel comfortable with books and understand that print is useful.

5. Encourage letter and word 5. Encourage letter and word recognitionrecognition

• point to the words with your fingers while you read with your child

• encourage your child to recognize his/her name

Understanding that print follows certain conventions

helps with school readiness

6. Rhyme and sing with your 6. Rhyme and sing with your child oftenchild often

• rhymes draw attention to language and sounds

• songs break language down beautifully in a way that engages children

Children learn best by doing things, and they love singing and

rhyming with you!

(no matter what you sound like)

The ability to distinguish the different sounds that make up words is a strong predictor of how well children will learn to read.

Does this sound like a lot of work?

Take comfort that these are things that we already do

naturally as parents.

Want to see

some of this in action?

Participate in your library’s storytime!

During storytime, librarians model interactive storytelling…

… favorite stories and rhymes are repeated weekly…

… puppets and props are used to make stories and language fun…

… and all this is done in arich environment that fosters

early literacy.

Remember…

the earlier a child is exposed to language and literacy activities…

the greater the child’s chances for future literacy and academic success.

What are you waiting for?

Works ConsultedWorks Consulted

Balancing Act Productions. “Blackbird Acoustic Test.” Retrieved via Creative Commons. http://search.creativecommons.org/

“Every Child Ready to Read @ Your Library.” American Library Association. http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/ECRR/ECRRHomePage.htm

“First Five Years.” Brooklyn Public Library. http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/first5years/

“How Parents Foster Early Learning.” Lessons in Learning February 1, 2006. http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Reports/LessonsInLearning/LiL-1Feb2006.htm

Teale, William H. “Libraries Promote Early Literacy Learning: Ideas from Current Research and Early Childhood Programs.” Journal of Youth Services in Libraries 12: no 3, 1999.

Taylor McBride, Allison. Various Lectures for LIBR529: Services for Families and Early Literacy in the Preschool Years. September-October, 2007.