Long before children start school, they are gaining the skills and understanding they will need for success in school and in life—including the skills that lead to literacy.

Literacy isn’t just reading—it includes writing, speaking, listening, and all the ways we use language to interact and communicate.

Teachers and researchers know that learning literacy skills are easier for some children than for others. But, in general, those who arrive at school with the following experiences and understandings are at an advantage:

• Ability to recognize various letters, signs, pictures, and sounds.

• Exposure to spoken and written words and numbers.

• Experience participating in conversations, listening to stories, asking and answering questions, singing songs, and using language to communicate.

• Exposure to books, magazines, newspapers, signs, games, and other forms of print.

• Experience drawing, painting, and scribbling with pencils, pens, crayons, or paints.

          © 2008 International Reading Association.

Children’s play is their work, and they learn by doing and experimenting. Fascinated by the world around them, they love to ask questions and talk about everything. You increase their curiosity by showing interest in what they are saying.

Pre-schoolers are learning about letters and sounds, pictures, and print. When you read to children, you teach them how letters and words work, how to hold a book, turn pages, listen and gain meaning from the written word. At this age, children also develop a basic understanding of numbers, can match and label shapes, identify colors and understand spatial concepts.

© Colorado State Department of Education.

• What is the story's title?

• Which words rhyme in the story?

• What happened at the (beginning, middle, or end) of the story?

• What was the main idea of the story?

• Who was the main character?

• What was the setting?

• How were (name two characters) alike/different?

• What was the problem in the story? How was it solved?

• Does this story remind you of something you have done or read about?

• Keep lots of reading materials around your home. Help your student start a collection of his or her favorites.

• Visit libraries, bookstores, newsstands, and yard sales to borrow and buy books. Talk to a children’s librarian about how to select books for your student.

• Introduce your student to many different reading materials: storybooks, picture books, informational books, magazines, diaries, newspapers, and more.

• Be willing to read books over and over again. The more familiar the book is, the greater your student’s comprehension and confidence in reading it. Eventually, he or she will want to read the book aloud to you!

© 2008 International Reading Association.

Children who are exposed to literacy early and often are likely to become better readers and writers than those who lack this exposure, so look for opportunities to fill your student’s world with print—books, magazines, charts, letters, drawings, and words of any kind.

Encourage your student’s emergent literacy by talking about words, pictures, and ideas. Read together and write messages and stories for each other. Look for opportunities to exercise your student’s growing language skills. For suggestions, visit the International Literacy Association website literacyworldwide.org.

© 2008 International Reading Association.

Here are some practical ideas that will help encourage your student’s interest in literacy.

• Set a good example: Let your student see you reading and writing, both as part of your daily responsibilities and just for fun.

• Make labels with the names of household objects and stick them on those objects. This will help your student begin to recognize letters and words.

• Give everything a name. Build your student’s vocabulary by pointing out interesting objects and parts of objects, like wheels, handles, petals, and tails.

• Talk with your student as often as you can, and let him or her hear your conversations with others. Pay attention when your student talks to you, and respond whenever you can.

• In public, point out signs, labels, and logos to your student. Children like knowing what is happening around them and will begin identifying familiar signs. Challenge your student to find a new word each time you’re out and about.

© 2008 International Reading Association.

• Print motivation: interested in and enjoys books.

• Phonological awareness: hear and play with smaller sounds of words.

• Vocabulary: know the names of things.

• Narrative skills: describe objects and events and tell stories.

• Print awareness: notice print, hold a book correctly, and follow words on a page.

• Letter knowledge: know letter names, sounds, and shapes.

© Colorado State Department of Education.