Did you know that there are five skills your child should master before you begin formal reading instruction? Because these reading readiness skills are so important, we call them The Big Five Skills.
Even though your child learns a lot as he plays and experiences life, some abilities, like reading, eventually need to be taught. Even though it might seem a little frightening, you can teach your child to read if you’ve already taught them how to pick up their toys or put on their socks. Here are some of the essential skills that your kid needs as he grows.
5 Critical Skills for Reading Readiness
Print Awareness
Print Awareness is the understanding that the print on a page represents words that have meaning and are related to spoken language.
How can we help develop this skill?
- Assist your child in developing proper book-holding techniques.
- As you read books aloud, point out that you are reading from left to right and from front to back. Count on your kid to turn the pages.
- Read your recipe aloud to your child as they assist you in the kitchen, pointing out the names on the food boxes and cans as well as the ingredients.
- While driving, point out and read store and highway signs
Letter Knowledge
Letter Knowledge enables a child to recognize the letters of the alphabet and to know the names and sounds of each.
To develop this skill:
- Sing the alphabet song together. Practice starting at different letters.
- Use activities that help children recognize both upper- and lower-case letters.
- Begin to encourage an association between letter names and the sounds they make.
- Explore the alphabet with refrigerator magnet.
- Create the alphabet with building blocks
Phonological Awareness
It’s a big term, but it’s really quite basic. Phonological awareness is the ability to hear and identify the various sounds in spoken words.
To develop this skill:
- Read lots of nursery rhymes and rhyming picture books together. Encourage your child to anticipate rhyme as you read together.
- Play clapping and rhyming games like Miss Mary Mack and Pat-a-Cake.
Listening Comprehension
Listening comprehension is the ability to understand the meaning of words heard and to relate to them in some way. A child with good listening comprehension has a wide vocabulary and a growing understanding of the world around him.
To develop this skill:
- Read aloud to your children daily. Read books that are in line with your child’s interests, so he begins to realize that there is a benefit to learning to read.
- Encourage even young children to interact with books.
- Attend story time at the library.
- Let your child see you enjoying books.
- Make read-aloud-time an enjoyable shared time. Here are some picture book lists to get you started.
Motivation to Read
Motivation to read is a child’s eagerness and willingness to read.
To encourage your child:
- Read both fiction and nonfiction books to your child.
- As you read, ask open-ended questions. For example, ask “What do you think is going to happen when we turn the page?” or “Why did the boy go outside?”
- Use everyday life experiences to build your child’s vocabulary.
- Encourage imaginative play and storytelling.
