Preschool and Literacy

Although few preschool children can read accurately, there are correlations between preschool and literacy.

About Preschool and Literacy

Literacy refers to the ability to read and write. The preschool years are important to the development of literacy. Although it is very rare for a preschool aged child to read or write with any accuracy, at this age children are doing the important work of preparing to read and write. Before a child can develop literacy skills, he needs to master pre-reading skills. Programs aimed at preparing preschool aged children to read and write are generally referred to as reading-readiness. Reading-readiness programs generally include activities to build print awareness, phonological awareness, narrative awareness, oral language development, and plenty of exposure to read-alouds.

Print Awareness

Before a child can learn to read, she needs to understand things about print. Between the ages of two and four, a child learns that words express meaning, that letters strung together make words, and that words strung together make sentences. A child learns that English print always follows a left to right and top to bottom progression. He learns that pages in a book turn a certain way and that both words and pictures provide meaning. Children begin to recognize familiar print words like ‘stop’ and ‘Cheerios’ and ‘Elmo’. This awareness of print is an important element in preschool literacy. The best way to build print awareness in young children is to read to them frequently and to talk about words and books with them while reading. Explain what a title is; put your finger under each word as you say it aloud. Let your child point to the words and pictures and turn the pages as you read. Read his favorite stories again and again.

Phonological Awareness

Once a child has built print awareness, he is able to understand phonological awareness. This refers to the understanding that letters of the alphabet represent sounds, and that these sounds put together make words. Children who are learning to sing the alphabet song are learning phonological awareness. Once they can say all the letters, they are ready to learn to recognize each letter in print. Then they are able to learn the sounds that each letter makes. Phonological awareness also includes understanding when words rhyme. Playing with rhyme is an excellent literacy activity to engage in with your preschooler. Children do not need to learn these skills through formal instruction. Children are learning these skills when they are read to, when they look at signs while driving, when they sing nursery rhymes, and when they watch shows like Sesame Street. When a parent is aware of this developmental stage she can build learning moments into her child’s everyday activities.

Narrative Awareness

Narrative awareness refers to a child’s understanding of story elements. When a very young child first repeats the phrase ‘once upon a time’, she is expressing her understanding of stories. Children learn that stories often begin a certain way and end a certain way. They learn that stories are about characters. They learn that stories are made up of events. Children should be involved in hearing stories and in telling their own stories from a very early age. The first stories a child tells are often nonsensical but include one or two simple story elements. Young children often make themselves the character of their earliest stories. Parents should write down a child’s stories and read them back to the child whenever he expresses interest. This nurtures a child’s desire to write and reinforces his understanding of story elements. It also helps to build literacy confidence in the young child.

Oral Language Development

Oral language development is a very important element of reading-readiness. Statistics have proven that young children who have a difficult time expressing themselves or engaging in oral communication are more likely to struggle with reading and writing skills. Children need practice in expressing themselves orally. Rich conversation with parents and family is the best way to develop oral communication in a young child. Play acting, role-playing, and puppet-play are all excellent activities for building oral language development. The more you talk to your child and with your child about anything, the more you are developing his or her vocabulary and ability to communicate feelings and ideas.

Reading to and with your Child

It has long been recognized by literacy experts that the most important thing a parent can do to develop literacy in young children is to read to them. Experts agree that parents should begin reading to children when they are infants. Making reading to your child a part of your daily routine is an excellent way to prepare your child to be successful in reading and writing. Taking the time to discuss what you are reading and letting your little one interact with the books also helps develop early literacy skills. Read book recommendations for preschoolers for a list of suggested books aimed at building literacy skills for preschoolers.

Preschool and Literacy Summary

While it is not wise to pressure preschoolers to learn to read, most youngsters do exhibit some signs of reading readiness. To foster the links between preschool and literacy, parents should expose children to letters, words, and books at an early age.