Early Literacy Development
Young children are like sponges. Every day they learn skills that will help them become readers. Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, for example, become aware of books and print and learn about sounds and letters. It's an exciting and important time of learning! The articles below discuss various aspects of early literacy and the important role that parents, child care providers, and preschool teachers play in helping young children learn and grow. Other related areas include Parent Tips, Preschool and Childcare, and Phonemic Awareness.
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Use a PEER When You Read Aloud
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe: Math and Literacy for Preschoolers
Get Ready to Read: Screening Tool
"Get Ready to Read" is a fast, free, research-based, and easy-to-use screening tool. It consists of 20 questions that parents and caregivers can ask a four-year-old to see if he or she is on track for learning how to read.
NELP Report: Developing Early Literacy
The National Early Literacy Panel looked at studies of early literacy and found that there are many things that parents and preschools can do to improve the literacy development of their young children and that different approaches influence the development of a different pattern of essential skills.
Advocating for Your Preschool Child
It's never too early to start looking for ways to help your child succeed in learning. This article covers children who are under 2 and who are in pre-school. They have rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Find out the first steps to take if you suspect your child has difficulty learning.
Speaking Is Natural; Reading and Writing Are Not
Human brains are naturally wired to speak; they are not naturally wired to read and write. With teaching, children typically learn to read at about age 5 or 6 and need several years to master the skill.
How Does Your Child Hear and Talk?
Every child is unique and has an individual rate of development. This chart represents, on average, the age by which most children will accomplish skills in hearing, understanding, and talking.
Activities to Encourage Speech and Language Development
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association offers these age-appropriate ways that parents can engage their young children to help develop speech and language abilities.
Developing Writing and Spelling at Home: Pre-K
When engaging in writing, young children often mirror what they see around them; adults and older children writing lists, notes, text messaging. They are observing the way writing is used in our everyday lives. Here are some simple things families can do to support young children's writing.
Start the New Year Off Right: Resolve to Raise a Reader!
Many New Year's resolutions focus on developing healthy habits. Here's one that is important to make and keep: provide a regular diet of books and reading for your preschooler.Many New Year's resolutions focus on developing healthy habits. Here's one that is important to make and keep: provide a regular diet of books and reading for your preschooler.
Learning That's Hands-On Holiday Fun (Pre-K)
Make Reading Part of Your Preschooler’s Everyday Life
Do you enjoy reading? Do you look at the newspaper? Read magazines? Go to the library? Chances are, if you do any of these activities, your preschool child is on his way to becoming a reader.
Beginning Readers: Look! I Can Read This!
Emergent Readers: Look! That's My Letter!
Vocabulary Development with ELLs
Knowing vocabulary words is key to reading comprehension. The more words a child knows, the better he or she will understand the text. Using a variety of effective teaching methods will increase the student's ability to learn new words.
Repeated Interactive Read-Alouds in Preschool and Kindergarten
Research has demonstrated that the most effective read-alouds are those where children are actively involved asking and answering questions and making predictions, rather than passively listening. This article describes in detail a technique for a three-step interactive read-aloud using sophisticated storybooks.
Can teachers and parents of preschoolers identify learning problems early enough to prevent problems later in school? The Recognition & Response model helps adults know what to look for and how to help, so that later remediation and special education may not be necessary.
Reading Rockets Interview with Susan B. Neuman
Susan B. Neuman served as the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education where she helped establish the Reading First and Early Reading First programs. She is a professor in Educational Studies at the University of Michigan, specializing in early literacy development, and former director of the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Ability (CIERA).
Don't forget to add non-fiction books to your reading routine! Kids can follow their own interests and learn about the world around them by reading about bugs, dinosaurs, or outer space. You can also use the information in books to do activities at home – make green eggs and ham like Sam I Am, or a newspaper hat like Curious George!