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.
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