Developing Listening, Language and Literacy

1. READ READ READ to your child!!!!! This is the single best strategy for

facilitating early literacy skills.

2. Practice “Whole Body Listening” during family meals, TV shows and story time.

3. Make up silly names for family and friends using rhymes. For example, “Tommy” might be “Wommy.”

4. Label objects around the house using Post-it notes. You may also want to underline or circle the beginning letters. For example,

“M icrowave.”

5. Keep a running list of the letters and sounds your child is learning at school. Find items that begin with these sounds during dinner, at the grocery store and during other daily activities. Say the word and ask your child to identify the beginning sound/letter.

6. Find examples around the house of words containing these same letters/sounds in other positions. For example, “salt” ends with the “T” sound and “hammer” contains the “M” sound in the middle. Ask your son or daughter to teach you the Beginning/Middle/End song!

7. Play guessing games. Give clues such as “It begins with the ____ sound and it’s a type of _____.”

8. Have your child make “name tags” for any family members or friends whose names contain the sounds we are currently learning.

9. Ask your child questions during and after story time about the book you are sharing. Help him/her to remember details and guess what might happen next to the characters.

10. Complete all homework assignments and ask your child questions about his/her projects from school.