A child's brain develops at an incredible rate during the first three years of life. A child's early experiences with language contribute to healthy brain development and lay the foundation for learning to read when a child enters school. Parents are indeed a child's first and most important teachers. Listening to language lays the groundwork for reading.

What We Know

Early literacy is what children know about reading before they can actually read. Researchers agree that children are more likely to become good readers if they start school with three sets of accomplishments:

Oral language skills and phonological awareness: Children are able to comprehend and to express themselves with a wide range of words. They are able to distinguish the sounds as well as the meaning of words.

Print awareness and letter knowledge: Children have learned that the black and white marks on a page represent spoken words. They are able to name the letters of the alphabet.

Motivation to learn and appreciation for literary forms: Children have been exposed to a wide variety of literary experiences and have learned to love books and stories.

Raising A Reader

• Begin when your child is born and spend time reading every day. Sing to your baby.
• Repeat nursery rhymes.
• Visit the library.
• Ask about storytimes.
• Borrow books to share with your baby at home.
• Choose books with colorful pictures and simple words--or no words at all.
• Read with expression--or just tell the story in your own words. Hold the book so your child can see the pictures clearly.
• Let your baby play with the book.
• Encourage your toddler to point out objects, repeat words, and talk about the story.
• Reread your child's favorite books over and over again.
• Use the technique of dialogic reading to help a child stay actively involved with a story and develop reading comprehension.
• Instead of reading the story straight through, ask the child open-ended questions about the story: "Why do you think Goldilocks ate Baby Bear's porridge?" "What do you think will happen next?" Read or tell stories in the language you are most comfortable with.
• It doesn't have to be English!
• Help your child develop phonological awareness --the understanding that words are made up of smaller sounds--by playing games with the sounds of words and repeating rhymes.
• Tell stories about your family and your culture.
• Encourage older children to read to their younger brothers and sisters.
• Be an example to your children; let them see you read books too. More tips for book sharing Set aside a special time each day, such as nap time, bedtime, or after meals.
• Share books when you and your child are both in a relaxed mood. Take advantage of "waiting" times to share books--on trips, at the doctor's office, in line at the grocery store.
• Reading even 5 or 10 minutes a day to young children helps them get ready to read on their own.

Excerpt from Association for Library Service