Early Literacy Strategies - Print Awareness

The third skill is Print Awareness. A child with print motivation is interested in and enjoys being read to. What can you do to help your child develop this skill?

• Use board books or cloth books and have your child hold the book.

• If there are only a few words on the page, point to each word as you say it.

• Read aloud every day – print labels, signs, menus. Print is everywhere!

• Let your child turn the pages.

• Let your child hold the book and read or tell the story.

• Hold the book upside down. See if your child turns the book around.

• Being familiar with printed language helps children feel comfortable with books and understand that print is useful.

Early Literacy Strategies- Vocabulary

Early literacy is what a child learns about reading and writing before learning to read and write. There are six pre-reading skills that are essential in order to learn to read.

Parents and caregivers play a major role in helping children develop these skills. The activities used to teach these skills also change with the child's age.

By the time a child is two years old, she can understand 300-500 words. What can you do to help your child develop vocabulary skills?

• Talk to your child about what is going on around you. As the child gets older, add conversations about feelings and ideas.

• When your child babbles or talks, listen and add details to what he says.

• Ask your child lots of questions, even if he can't answer you. The child learns that questions are invitations for response

• Speak clearly and in the language that is most comfortable for you.

• Read together every day. Identify pictures, concepts and ideas as you read the book together.

For a list of great books or for more information about the Every Child Ready to Read program, ask at the children's desk.