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home > early literacy > six skills areas


Overview
Six skill areas
Choosing books
Fingerplays & songs
Reading aloud - video clips
Reading tips - many languages
Making the most of your library
More literacy websites

Six skill areas espaƱol
Help your child get ready to read in school:
  • LOVE BOOKS
    Print motivation:
    being interested in and enjoying books.
    Show your child that reading together is fun. see Favorites for Toddlers

  • USE BOOKS
    Print awareness:
    understanding that print has meaning; noticing print everywhere, not just in books; knowing how to handle a book.
    For fun, hold a book upside-down to your children can notice that something is "wrong." see books with Word Awareness.

  • NEW WORDS
    Vocabulary:
    knowing the names of things.
    Read books about things that interest your children. Ask librarians about finding easy information books. see True Books

  • SEE LETTERS
    Letter knowledge:
    knowing that letters look different from each other; knowing letter names and sounds.
    Read A B C books to your child. see ABC Books or Letter Sounds

  • MAKE SOUNDS
    Phonological awareness:
    being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds that make up words.
    Singing songs is a good way to help your child hear the different parts of a word. see Rhymes & Mother Goose books.

  • TELL a STORY
    Narrative skills:
    being able to describe things and events, and tell stories.
    Tell your child stories about you and your family. see Stories without Words
ELSIE: Early Literacy Storytime Ideas Exchange

Find books to help children develop early literacy skills.
Parent Guide to Literacy

Pre-Talkers: birth to 2 years (pdf)
Talkers: 2 to 3 years (pdf)
Pre-Readers: 4 to 5 years (pdf)
from the Public Library Association and Association for Library Service to Children.