Birth to Age 4
How can I set my child up for success in literacy and learning?
This is a question that all caregivers ask themselves. When it comes to literacy and learning, there is A LOT of research about A LOT of different topics. Many caregivers try to teach letter names, colors, shapes and numbers. Many caregivers also read to their children. These are all great activities. Below, we've collected some of the areas that our kindergarten teachers recommend as MOST IMPORTANT to prepare students for literacy and learning in school.
Phonological Knowledge and Phonemic Awareness
One of the strongest predictors of literacy success is a child's phonological knowledge and phonemic awareness skills. It is SO important, in fact, that it is now understood that struggles with phonemic awareness skills as early as kindergarten are a risk factor for dyslexia. What is phonological knowledge and phonemic awareness? Learn more by watching this video:
Activities to help support these two important pieces:
Listen for words that rhyme, then have your child try to make rhyming words-it's okay if they aren't REAL words! You are developing an understanding of rhyme at this point!
Reading silly poems and nursery rhymes-recent research has shown that the brains of babies actually learn language through rhythmic patterns. This means that in the earliest development stages (birth to a year) we should be using sing-song voices, and nursery rhymes. If you have an infant, sing songs, read nursery rhymes and talk to your baby as much as possible! As students get older, you can ask them which words rhyme.
Read books with rhyming words-Reading stories with rhyme in them help develop that understaning of words and within word patterns (that words rhyme because their "rime," or the vowel and everything after it, has the same sounds).
Play around with alliteration! There are great books and tongue twisters that use words that start with the same sound. This helps develop a knowledge of inital, or beginning sounds in words.
Call attention to syllables - clap it out, stomp it out and more. Use names of family members, as well as fun words. Call attention to the fact that the chin or jaw drops each time there is a syllable. Have your child put a hand under the chin to feel this. One website even has turned it into a game called "syllable move": you stand on one side of the room and your child on the other. Have your child say a word and if they correctly identify the number of syllables, they move forward that many steps!
Sound "I Spy": Say "I Spy something in this room that rhymes with________"
Reading and Speaking with your Child
One of the most effective routines to help support literacy development in our earliest learners is to develop a daily routine for reading. Multiple studies from all over the world show that reading to your child from birth can develop empathy, an understanding that print carries a message, a knowledge of sounds and even support the development of neural pathways (the super-highways that carry information) in our brains. Setting a time and place daily to read and discuss books with your child or children prepares them for learning in SO many ways.
Watch my "Rachel's Readiness Rec" to learn more
Use the Power Point to access resources!
Read this article and advice on the Reading Rockets Webpage
Readiness Rec 1-revised.mp4Rachel's Readiness Recs 1.pptxReadiness Rec 2.mp4Rachel's Readiness Recs 3.pptxBuilding Stamina for Literacy (and other tasks)
As students begin to explore the world around them, they will typically hop from activity to activity at an early age. This is developmentally appropriate. Children's attention spans are short and develop gradually. A good rule of thumb is that the expected attention span is 3-5 minutes per age. Thus, a 3-year old would have an expected attention span of 9-15 minutes depending on task.
It is important as caregivers that we help support our children's development by working with them to build up their attention span.
Watch my video on this to learn more!
More resources and links on the Power Point
Even more HERE on Reading Rockets Website
Fine Motor Skills
One of the first recommendations that our Kindergarten teachers shared was the need to develop fine motor coordination. Fine motor coordination involves the connection between the eyes, brain, hand and fingers. This connection informs us how to grasp objects, put on clothes, eat, use crayons and pencils, and manipulate objects. It is also a skill that doesn't automatically develop without practice.
All families have different approaches to technology, but one of the results of more tablet and phone use among young children is that that students' hands and fingers are weaker than they were in the past. This has a heavy impact on readiness for school.
Kindergarten teachers and researchers recommend engaging young children in activities that will strengthen the muscles in their hands and fingers, and their connection to the brain. We've included a list of suggestions below and will be posting an overview video soon!
Readiness Rec 3-revised.mp4Rachel's Readiness Rec #3: Fine Motor Skills
This video goes through some quick and fun activities to do with your child to develop fine motor skills.
Rachel's Readiness Recs 3.pptxThis slide show includes links to resources for fine motor skills activities
Fun activities for Fine Motor Skills:
Playing with clay or playdough
Stringing beads and pasta
Picking up things with tweezers and chopsticks
Fingerpainting
Playing with buckles, string, buttons, clasps and snaps
Taking off and putting on lids of containers
Opening or unwrapping snacks
Using legos
Sorting loose change and other small objects
Using markers, crayons, chalk
These activities were taken from this website and article
Resources to Support Early Literacy Skills
These resources from the What Works Clearinghouse and Reading Rockets are amazing: