The Library Helps You Help Your Child Get Ready to Read!

Research has identified 6 pre-reading skills that children must have in order to learn to read:

• Print Motivation: A child's interest in & enjoyment of books.
• Letter Knowledge: Knowing that letters are different from each other & that they have different names & sounds.
• Phonological Awareness: The ability to hear & play with the smaller sounds in words.
• Vocabulary: Knowing the names of things.
• Narrative Skills: The ability to describe things & events & tell stories.
• Print Awareness: Noticing print everywhere, knowing how to hold a book & knowing how to follow the words on a page.

The library and you can help your child develop these skills. The Public Library Association and the Association for Library Service for Children have developed an early literacy program that is based on research: Every Child Ready to Read. The library stresses at least one of these skills during every storytime. Librarians also teach parents and caregivers about the skills and fun ways they can help their children become successful readers.

We will post storytime activities and books that stressed certain skills and also offer suggestions for activities you and your child can enjoy together that teaches these skills. Just click on the label, Every Child Ready to Read, to go to a grouping of these posts.