Parenting Matters: Getting your little one ready for reading, writing

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, October 18, 2017

The child who has a parent who is willing to help him learn about literacy skills is truly a child who has a distinct advantage. It begins early and goes on throughout the child’s school years. It lays a foundation for a strong start for learning how to read. Look at some of the many ways you can help.

First, you as the parent need to be enthusiastic about reading. Help him pick out books for you to read together. You should be excited about reading and then he will become more excited about it too.

If the book is a longer one, save part for the next day. He will then look forward to hearing what happens next.

Help him learn about his name as early as he seems interested. Most children really want to learn their name. Just even being able to recognize the first sound is a beginning. You may be surprised how soon he is working on figuring out the rest of the letters.

Help your child learn the names of printed letters. While he learns to know the names of the letters, he also learns to say the word for that letter. He needs to understand that the sound “eff” goes with the letter “F” and to learn many others.

Play games like alphabet bingo to teach letter names and shapes. You can even have a printed page with capital and lower case letters and see if he can pick out all the capital letters.

Sing songs and recite rhymes that include sounds associated with the letters.

As he learns new words, you are likely to break them into syllables. When you say “bulldozer” slowly, he will hear each of the three syllables,

Ask him to follow simple, multi-step directions in preparing for activities such as getting ready for school in the morning or cleaning up after dinner. This helps him learn to remember spoken information.

After you have read a story together, ask him to tell you what happened. This discussion helps him practice new language skills.

Remember you are helping him understand how print works. Make sure he sees the print while you are reading with him. Even using your finger to track the print as you read to him shows the way reading works.

Show him the print that exists in his environment. Let him see logos like McDonald’s or Coke but also show him signs such as “Stop” and other signs that give direction.

Talk with other people when he can hear you and tell them how much he is learning. It makes him feel good about himself.

Let him pick out the next book that you read together. Slowly let him take over the process. It begins when he knows the first word on the next page. Let him take over the story even if he is just telling it and not reading it.

Be sure he knows he can take a book to read when he goes to bed. Give him some time to read it his way before you turn out the lights.

Keep a list of books that are his favorites so you can talk about them and he can remember what he read.

When he wants to, let him write the words he wants to write. It will probably begin with his name. Be sure to tell grandma about his new skill.

Make sure you give him a hug when he makes progress. If it is a new letter he remembers or a word he recognizes let him hear you tell him how well he is doing. You want to be sure he sees how proud you are of him. It isn’t just reading you are teaching; it is positive self-concept.

Cynthia Martin is the founder of the First Teacher program and former executive director of Parenting Matters Foundation, which publishes newsletters for parents, caregivers and grandparents. Reach Martin at pmf@olypen.com.