Early Childhood Literacy Development and Getting Ready to Read.

When should I begin preparing my child to learn to read?

Early childhood literacy development occurs from the time a child is born until they are four or five years old. During this period of emergent literacy, children become aware of the world of print and sound. You are probably already teaching your child basic reading skills, even if you are unaware.The importance of written language is demonstrated through naturally occurring experiences in the home and preschool or daycare environments, such as watching mom make a grocery list, and learning to recognize the letters and colors of a stop sign (Roth, Worthington, 2005).

What are some signs that my child is developing emergent literacy skills?

Activities such as pretending to read and write from books show that children understand messages that are conveyed through print. After listening to stories from their parents and teachers, they may begin to produce their own narratives and act them out. Some children may point out familiar logos and words in their surrounding environment.

Parents should continue to read aloud to their children and encourage symbol and color recognition during daily activities. Our next post will discuss risk factors that can lead to impaired reading skills including language impairments.

Additional reading: Are Spoken Language and Literacy Connected?