Additional Resources

Reading Rockets

PBS Parents Reading and Language Development

Kansas Kids Ready for Learning

Colorin Colorado

Great Read Alouds

American Library Association

Dr. Lesley Morrow- Literacy Development

Language and Literacy Development Stages for Children 6 to 8

Children may:

 

-          Read predictable books, their favorite books or books that they have illustrated and written

-          Write using both invented and standard spelling

-          Implement decoding strategies when coming across unknown words

-          Manipulate, substitute, and delete sounds from words to make new words

-          Strong development in alphabetic principle, children can sound out words and identify various sounds that letters and combinations of letters represent

-          Write down words that they hear, strong sight word recognition

-          Leave spaces between words

-          Enjoy writing messages to others, writing for a purpose and for pleasure

-          Increase in phonics, sentence structure, grammar and punctuation

-          Enlarged oral and written vocabulary

-          Discuss the features of a story, draw conclusions, predict, relate to characters

-          Practice reading with fluency

Strategies for Parents to Help Kids Develop Their Literacy Abilities

-          Encourage your children to read books that appeal to their interests, whether it is fiction, nonfiction, fantasy or poetry. If they are interested in the topic that they are reading about, then they will be excited to read and gain knowledgeable information. Going to the town library will offer the children additional resources and books that the school library may not provide.

-          If your child really enjoys a particular book that they have previously read, look for other books by that author and illustrator that they might be interested in. A lot of the books for this age group are series, where the characters from the previous books are brought back by the author.

-          Promote your children to read aloud to you. Do not interpret there reading if they are ready too “slow” or cannot decode a word automatically. Reading should be done at least a half hour a day, whether it is independent reading or reading aloud to someone. This will allow the child to become a stronger reader.

-          Chapter books that can be read over a period of time, including a couple of days, rather than being read in one sitting are beneficiary to children. This will encourage the child to recall what they have previously read and apply it to what they currently reading. Also, these books are more in depth in complexity and will challenge the reader.  

High Quality Children’s Books for Parents and Children to Read

Meddaugh, S. (2002). Cinderella's rat. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Cinderella’s Rat is a perfect example of a story that demonstrates effective points of view, play on words, character development and animation. The storyline follows the classic fairytale of Cinderella and the children are able to understand that change is not always a bad thing.

An activity that can be completed before reading the book is completing a story map of the story Cinderella. Read to the students a generic tale of the fairytale and using chart paper, guide the class to outline and sequence the main events and ideas in the story. After reading Cinderella’s Rat, compare the elements of the two stories. As you are reading aloud the story, ask the children how they think that the rat feels when it is taken by the fairy godmother and turned into a carriage driver. In addition, ask why the author turns the sister rat into a girl, but instead of talking, she barks. These questions will provide room for the children to share their ideas, since there is no right or wrong answer.

MacLachlan, P. (1985). Sarah, plain and tall. New York: Harper & Row.

Sarah, Plain and Tall explores the theme of abandonment, love and loss. The audio collection of this story allows children to use their imagination while providing them with a history lesson from the 19^th century.

The children are forced to use their imagination as they are listening along to the audio version of this book. There are several mature topics that are discussed in this text including feelings of abandonment, death of a parent and the father finding a new wife. Ask the children how they would feel in Anna and Caleb’s shoes? How can they or can they not relate to these main characters feelings of being alone and young? Ask the children how they think Anna and Caleb felt when they saw Sarah return from the town with colored pencils and the illustration that she drew for them of Maine? As a follow up activity, have the children illustrate one of their favorite scenes from the story and write three sentences as to why this was their favorite scene.

Hesse, K., & Parker, R. A. (1998). Just Juice. New York: Scholastic Press.






Just Juice is a compelling narrative that shares the story of a nine year old girl named Juice Faulstich who struggles academically on top of the stresses of her family struggles. This story shares moments of family, love, hopefulness and perseverance during times of distraught.

Ask the children if they think that reading is important. Is it important for just Juice to know how to read or for her whole family? Although Juice struggles with reading, literacy means more than simply being able to read books. What are some different ways that Juice uses her reading skills to help out her Ma? Some people think that Juice’s family is very rich, although they do not have much money. Do you agree with this statement? Do you have to have money to be rich? At the end of the story have a discussion with the children about why Juice does not like going to class. Ask the students why they think that this is and what her classmates could have done differently to make Juice feel more comfortable at school and draft these ideas on chart paper.

Language and Literacy Development Stages For Children 4 to 5

Children may:

-          Show pleasure in conversing with adults and children, using high-frequency words

-          Become aware that people read for a reason

-          Identify environmental print

-          Understand the concept of tracking, that text is read from left to right and top to bottom

-          Realize that print carries the meaning of the story, rather than the pictures

-          Use visual cues to pretend to read, in order to recall words from their favorite stories

-          Recognize that writing is a form type of communication that uses a symbol system

-          Trace and write letters

-          Recognize letters and the sounds that they make

-          Clap out the syllables in single words

-          Take part in games that contain numbers and written words

Strategies for Parents to Help Kids Develop Their Literacy Abilities

-          It is important to introduce your children to a variety of books. Books that focus on children that might look and live like them, as well as children who live different lives than them can teach children a lot. It is important for children to understand that not everyone is alike and that there are differences in children, whether it is physical or even where they come from. These types of books provide meaningful information and knowledge, especially since children at this age will be interacting for the first time with a variety of children. Other books that are great to read aloud with your child include ones on making friendships, going to school, going to the doctor, and ones that are simple enough to memorize and read!

-          Counting books and other “concept” books are excellent resources to have at home to reinforce what the children are learning about in preschool and kindergarten. It is important to have a relationship with the teacher, so that you are involved in your child’s education early on. By knowing what your children are working on in school, whether it is size or time, you will be able to provide them with supplemental material at home in terms of their literacy to support their understandings.

-          Children should play a role in the books that they choose to have read aloud to them or independently read. There obviously needs to be parental involvement in making sure that these types of books are developmentally appropriate, but focus on books that pertain to your child’s interests, such as trains, animals or gardening. By finding books that focus on your child’s interests, they will be more apt to want to read.

High Quality Children’s Books for Parents and Children to Read

Pitzer, S., & Day, L. (2006). Not afraid of dogs. New York: Walker & Co.

Children who are afraid of dogs or who have other fears will particularly benefit from this picture book. This story not only teaches courage, but it also provides meaningful information on animal and sibling relationships. It is a highly effective read aloud that is engaging, has believable characters, and an excellent ending.

As you are reading the story aloud, ask the children to predict what they think might happen next. Prediction is a great literacy skill that children should be exposed to early on. Another question that can be asked is how do you think Daniel feels when he is locked in the bathroom together with Bandit? This question will provide multiple explanations and the children will be able to relate to how Daniel feels at that specific time. An activity that can be completed following the read aloud would be having a discussion with the children about what some of their fears are. Most likely, there will be other children who are also afraid of dogs, snakes or spiders. This book also allows you to talk to the children about approaching strange dogs and what to and not to do.

Crews, D. (1986). Ten black dots. China: Greenwillow Books.

Ten Block Dots is an effective picture book to use to teach one-to-one correspondence in terms of counting. The illustrations provide texture that is appealing to the eye and a rhyming format that allows the reader to count from one to ten.

This book can be incorporated into a math unit on counting. As the teacher or parent is reading aloud the book, ask for volunteers to come up and use their finger to point to and count aloud the number of black dots on each page. In addition, the other students can simultaneously be counting aloud the number of black dots to themselves. Also, the class can chorally count the number of black dots on each page. After the read aloud, the teacher can hand out black paper dots to each student and they can be creative and form their own pictures using them. After each student uses their imagination to form a picture using the dots, a class book can be formed for the classroom library.

Cohen, M., & Hoban, L. (2009). Will I have a friend?. New York: Star Bright Books.

Will I Have a Friend answers one of the questions that come across the minds of numerous preschool and kindergarten children about starting school, will I have any friends? This is a common question that many of these children ask for the first time when they are encountering a new school, daycare, or group of children. Will I Have a Friend is a reassuring story that is encouraging and helps children anticipate social situations.

This story is a wonderful read aloud for the first day of school. Read aloud the title to the children and take a picture walk through the story showing them the illustrations. Ask for volunteers to share with the class what they think the story is going to be about based on the picture walk. Invite the children to share with the class their concerns before coming to school for the first day and if they were worried about finding new friends in the classroom, similar to the main character in the story. Reassure the children that there should not be any worries about finding new friends at school because everyone is in the same position as they are and that eventually, a bond will be formed. As an ice breaker, have the students share what they are interested in and what they enjoy to do at school.

Language and Literacy Development Stages for Children 2 to 3

Children may:

-          Take pleasure in listening to rhymes, stories, and songs that contain repetition and patterns

-          Preview books and pretend to read and write

-          Scribble actively

-          Use a combination of words and short sentences to communicate their needs

-          Show happiness in talking and being listened to

-          Increase their oral vocabulary to around 1,000 words. Children’s oral vocabulary will always be larger than written vocabulary.

-          Begin to use basic plurals and overgeneralizations

-          Understand that environmental print carries a message and is a form of communication

-          Comprehend that their name written pertains specifically to them

Strategies for Parents to Help Kids Develop Their Literacy Abilities

-          Focus on providing your children with read alouds that contain simple story lines or rhyming books that are easy to be memorized. Older toddlers love engaging with the text with their ability to predict what will happen next in the story. As you are reading aloud, ask your child questions that pertain to the text, such as pointing to certain familiar objects or colors.

-          Books that concentrate on counting, the alphabet, shapes and sizes are an excellent resource. As you are reading the story, take relevant breaks to have your child interact with the text. In a counting book, reiterate the sequence of counting up to five and the repetition so that you are able to model and then provide guided practice to help your child learn to count. Alphabet books will help your children comprehend that each letter in the alphabet corresponds to the initial sound of the common object in the illustration, such as C is for cat.

-          A variety of books should be offered to the older toddler including cardboard, pop-up, pull-the-tab, touch-and-feel or scented books. These types of engaging books can be found at your local library to be checked out. What is great about these styles of books is that they will aid in the fine motor development of your toddler, focusing on turning the individual pages, pulling the tabs to reveal the picture underneath, feeling the texture of the illustration or scratching the picture to uncover a specific smell.

High Quality Children’s Books for Parents and Children to Read

Hines, A. G. (2008). 1, 2, buckle my shoe. New York: Harcourt.

This counting book follows the popular verse from the nursery rhyme “One two buckle my shoe.” On each page, there is a beautiful quilt with a number ranging from 1 to 10 as the background of the page, which corresponds to the number of buttons on each quilt.

Toddlers will enjoy following along and listening to the tone of this popular nursery rhyme. As you are reading the book aloud, stop and ask your child who is learning to count to point and count using the concept of one-to-one correspondence the total number of buttons that are sewed along each quilt. In addition, ask your child to indentify various colors in the vibrant quilts. A follow up activity that can be completed following the text includes having your child begin a button collection. As a parent, you can help your child collect a variety of buttons and help them count the total number of buttons that they have.

Harris, R. H., & Bang, M. (2008). The day Leo said I hate you!. Boston: Little, Brown And Co.

The Day Leo Said, “I Hate You” is a kid-friendly text that many toddlers can relate to. It is comforting to understand that other toddlers and preschoolers may become equally as frustrated when they hear the word “No” from an adult and how manage their feelings and words.

As the parent is reading aloud the story, have the child interact with the text by asking him or her questions. For example, you can ask how do you think Leo’s mother felt when she heard him tell her “I hate you?” In addition, a question that is open ended such as why do you think Leo becomes frustrated when his Mommy tells him “No” is a great question to get your toddlers mind going. This story opens up to a great activity and conversation that you can have with your children about the word “No” and why it is used. Make sure that your child understands how they are able to manage their feelings and words, rather than saying not-so-nice words that are hurtful including “I hate you.”  

Martin, B., Archambault, J., Ehlert, L., & Charles, R. (1991). Chicka chicka boom boom. New York: Little Simon.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a rhyming book that teaches children the 26 letter in the alphabet, and identifying both the upper and lowercase letters. This is a classic children’s book that is adored, simply because of its rhythmic and sing along tune.

During the read aloud, ask your child basic questions pertaining to the illustrations in the text, such as show me where the palm tree is. Also, have your child identify various letters in the alphabet, starting with lowercase and moving to uppercase. This is useful to see if your child is able to distinguish between lower and uppercase letters. For an activity, recite with your child the letters of the alphabet. Take time each day to go over what the letters in the alphabet are and practice performing them together and independently.  

 

Language and Literacy Development Stages for Children 0 to 2

Children may:

-          Cry to communicate their needs such as a diaper change, food, or sleep

-          Show an interest in listening to recognizable songs and rhymes

-          Play basic games including peekaboo or pattycake

-          Enjoy books that contain large pictures, bright colors, engaging photos, touch-and-feel, texture

-          Experiment and play with language by using sounds that imitate  adult tones and rhythm

-          Understand that speech is a form of human communication

-          Comprehend and perform simple instructions

-          Blend a consonant sound to a vowel sound, such as ma ma or da da

-          Orally name single objects

-          Use holophrases to communicate their needs, such as simply saying water to mean I am thirsty and would like a drink of water

Strategies for Parents to Help Kids Develop Their Literacy Abilities

-          Set a designated time out of your busy day to read aloud to your children, whether it is in the morning, before bedtime, or even during bath time. Infants and toddlers specifically enjoy poems, simple rhymes, and predictable texts that are fun for parents to read aloud while bonding with their children.

-          Focus on stories that contain simple sentences with pictures that illustrate the text.

-          Durable books are a great size for small children to handle. These books can come in cardboard or plastic, and can be washable.

-          Books that contain familiar objects or children doing recognizable things are great to read aloud. The toddlers can interact with the text, pointing to familiar objects and activities such as balls, sleeping, or playing. With animal books, the toddlers can imitate the various sounds that animals make while pointing to their picture.

High Quality Children's Books for Parents and Children to Read

Carle, E. (2000). Does a kangaroo have a mother, too?. New York: HarperCollins.




Eric Carle is a tremendous children’s author and illustrator. His picture book, Does A Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? contains a simple story line with plenty of repetition. The colorful illustrations in the text are engaging to toddlers, and they are able to recognize many familiar animals.

While reading aloud the text, you can ask your children to point to specific animals on the pages including the penguin, swan or fox. In addition as a follow-up activity, you can ask your children to imitate the sounds that particular animals make, including cows, cats or dogs. Seeing that the storyline of the text asks the same question: “Does a money/ dolphin/ lion have a mother, too?” and the response is always a big and bright “YES!,” a questions that you can ask your children is to predict what they think the answer will be towards the end of the story to the variations of the same question.

Brown, M. W. (2003). Big red barn a musical literacy kit.. Belleville, Ill.: Playful Harmonies.






Big Red Barn is a calming book that shares with the audience a day in the life at the barnyard. The text is simple, yet rhythmic, and contains vibrant illustrations. This particular version of the story contains a literacy kit, where the toddler can listen along. The big red barn is a place where the animals, including pigs, goats, horses, cows, and roosters play and sleep.

While reading this book aloud to your children, you can ask them to point to the various animals on the pages. In addition, you can ask them to what sounds these animals make. Along with focusing on the animals and their sounds, this book can be implemented to teach colors. During the read aloud, ask your child to point to the pink pig or red barn. An activity that can be completed after reading aloud this text includes having flashcards of familiar, yet various farm animals and asking your child to imitate the sounds that they make.

Martin, B., & Carle, E. (2007). Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?. New York: H. Holt.






Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? is a classic book that teaches colors and animal names. The text is formatted in a rhyming pattern and is predictable. This story is an amusing read along for toddlers and they enjoy guessing which animal will be coming next!

This text is a great read aloud to toddlers to help them identify images. Ask your children as you are reading aloud to them to point to the different objects in the story. As a parent, you can ask your child what color the horse is or the frog. For an activity, read the story aloud once. Since there is an evident pattern to identify the next rhyme, have the child chime in with you as you are reading the story a second time to guess which animal will come next.