Support emergent literacy by reading aloud and building these six skills:

Print Motivation: Being interested in and enjoying books.

Tips: Read when you and your child are in a good mood. Stop if either of you get tired or distracted. Choose books that you enjoy. Let your child see you reading. Make reading fun!! If children enjoy books, they will want to learn to read.

Vocabulary: The power of knowing the names of all kinds of things and events.

Tips: Children’s books typically use three times more ‘rare’ words than everyday conversation, exposing them to words they would not normally hear. Talk with your children all the time about what is going on around them, what they are feeling or what you are doing. When reading, expand on the story to add more vocabulary. The more words they know, the easier it will be to learn to read.

Letter Knowledge: Knowing letters are different from each other, knowing their names and sounds, and recognizing letters everywhere.

Tips: Look for alphabet books and songs. Write your child’s name or something that interests them (dinosaurs, princesses). Make letters from clay or play-dough. Point out letters when you see them.

Print Awareness: Noticing print, knowing how to handle a book, and how to follow the written word on a page.

Tips: Trace the words on the page as you read them. Pick books with bold or unusual fonts. Point out the print that surrounds you everyday: on signs, at the supermarket, in restaurants, and more! Let your child hold the book and turn the pages as you read.

Narrative Skills: The ability to describe things and events, and tell stories.

Tips: Ask open-ended questions, such as ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘when’, ‘why’ and ‘how’, when reading together. Choose books with few words and let your child tell you the story. Let your child tell you about what they are doing, or have done. Ask them to explain a picture they drew.

Phonological Awareness: Being able to hear, and play with, the smaller sounds in words.

Tips: Expose your children to lots of rhythm and rhyme. Say nursery rhymes. Sing! Add actions to the songs you sing. Make up silly, nonsense words. Practicing rhyming words.

 

What can you do?