A child’s early literacy means to his/her understanding of reading and writing prior to knowing how to read or write. It may Sound funny, but it’s a simple way of expressing. Proficiency in early literacy is a good indicator of your child’s aptitude for language. Think of these skills are the foundation of your child’s first steps into literacy.
#1. Print Motivation
This skill helps and involves your child in demonstrating an interest in books. This is critical to him/her development as a reader. Reading begins with motivation and curiosity. Learning to read isn’t going to be easy, but if he/she has positive conditioning about print, she’s likely to develop the interest to read independently.
Develop This Skill:
- Reading books he/she likes
- Make reading fun!
- Pique his/her interest by modulating your tone according to the story
#2. Print Awareness
Have you noticed your child pick up a book and try to place her finger of the sentences to pretend to read it? She’s displaying print awareness! This skill involves noticing print everywhere and anywhere. It also involves knowing how to handle a book. Your child must be aware of words before leaning to decipher them. She must demonstrate some understanding of the cover of a book, way to read a book, etc.
Develop This Skill:
Reading board books that your child can handle on her own; her turn the pages as you read together.
Pointing to the words as you read.
Talking about print even when you are not reading together. Look for letters and words on signs, labels, and lists.
#3. Letter Knowledge
This skill simply involves understanding that letters are different from each other, have different names and sounds and can recognize them anywhere. Your child’s understanding of letter knowledge is critical to her learning to read. To be a good reader, your child must understand that a word is made of smaller, individual letters with different sounds. If she has difficulty grasping sounds of letters, you might need to introduce her to phonics, etc.
Develop This Skill:
Looking at and talking about different shapes (letters are based on shapes)
Playing “same and different” type games
Looking at “I Spy” type books
Talking about and drawing the letters of a child's own name
#4. Vocabulary
A rich wealth of spoken vocabulary can make learning to read easier. It's much easier to read a word when it's a word you already know. Children with bigger vocabularies have an easier time when they start to read because it's much easier for them to make sense of what they're sounding out.
Develop this skill:
- Encourage children to learn their native or home language first
- Carry on lots of conversations with children.
- Explain the meanings of new words.
#5. Phonological Awareness
This skill involves the ability to break apart a word into smaller sounds. Children who can hear how words "come apart" into separate sounds will be more successful at "sounding out" words when they start to read.
Develop this skill:
Sing songs, most break words up into one syllable per note. Reading works with syllables also.
Recite rhymes; rhymes depend upon ending sounds.
Play with tongue twisters.
Pick a sound for the day. Notice it at the beginning of words and at the end of words.
#6. Narrative Skills
Does your child like describing things, events and sharing stories? This is important as it’s another pre-literacy skill! When she can describe something or retell stories, it shows that she’s comprehending what she’s reading. Understanding what she’s reading is crucial to helping her stay motivated to keep reading.
Develop this skill:
- Ask open-ended questions that encourage conversations rather than yes/no or right/wrong answers.
- Talk about your day and its series of events.
- Mix up the events in a story; make it silly!
- Guess what comes next—or come up with a different ending.
- Read stories without words; they really help focus on this skill.
- Name objects, feelings, and events.
Early literacy skills make your child a better reader.
Is it possible to impart early literacy skills through play? Learn this and more at SEED Institute’s workshop for parents in April titled “Using Multisensory Games and Activities to Build Early Literacy Skills.” Facilitated by Sylvia Foo who has over 2 decades of experience as a Literacy and English Language Specialist. In this workshop, she helps you to understand are early literacy skills your child requires and ways you can impart them in fun, multisensory ways.
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