1. Library name
Rachael Stein
Information Services Manager
ESRL Logo
Library Logo
2. Reading is
essential to
school success.
Learning to read begins
before children start
school.
3. Children who start kindergarten with
good pre-reading skills have an
advantage.
They are ready to learn to read.
Why is it important for
children to get ready to read
before they start
school?
4. Maryland Model
for School
PLA/ALSCReadiness
Every MMSR/VSC:
Child Ready to Read Language and
@ Your Library Literacy Standards
• Vocabulary • Vocabulary
• Print Motivation • Concepts of
• Narrative Skills Print
• Print Awareness • Comprehension
• Letter • Letter/Sound
Knowledge Relationships
• Phonological • Phonemic
Awareness Awareness
5. Children learn best by doing,
and they love doing things with you.
Why are childcare
providers so important
in helping children get
ready to read?
6. To become successful readers, I
FY
children need to:
• Learn a code
• Understand its meaning
What do children need
to learn to become
good readers?
7. Reading is learning the code.Y I
F
Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Uu Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
< / * # > + ** [ = ) ] ~ : ]] { ++ } // ^ ! [[ (( >> |
[ *<: }><#.
8. Reading is understanding the meaning.
Reading is more than
decoding words. Good
readers understand the
meaning of what they read.
Leah is hipple when she roffs
with her mom.
9. What is decoding?
• Noticing print
• Knowing letter names and sounds
• Hearing the sounds that make up words
What do children need to
know before they can
learn to read?
10. What is comprehension?
• Knowing what words mean
(vocabulary)
• Understanding the meaning of
printed language
What do children need to
know before they can
learn to read?
11. Five simple practices help children
get ready to read.
Help your child be ready to
read with simple activities
every day.
12. Wait- What about the “6
Skills?!”
1. Vocabulary
2. Print Awareness
3. Narrative Skills
4. Letter Knowledge
5. Print Motivation
6. Phonological Awareness
Help your child be ready
to read with simple
activities every day.
13. The five practices provide fun learning
experiences for children of different
ages and interests.
Every child is unique.
14. Talking:
Children learn about language by
listening to parents and other adults
talk and
joining the conversation.
Talking helps your child
get ready to read.
15. Talking:
Here’s a way to talk to children
to increase vocabulary
and comprehension.
Talking helps your child
get ready to read.
16. Talking:
When you talk with children:
• Use new words.
• Take turns.
• Make connections.
Talking helps your child
get ready to read.
17. Talking:
Books are wonderful
conversation starters.
Talking helps your child
get ready to read.
18. Let’s Take a Book Picture Walk
A picture walk helps develop your
children’s language and pre-reading
skills.
•Have a conversation with the child
around a book before you read it.
•A picture walk is not reading the book.
It’s talking about the pictures—getting to
know the book together.
19. Singing:
Songs are a natural way to
learn about language.
Singing helps your child
get ready to read.
20. Singing:
Twinkle, twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Singing helps your child Like a diamond in the sky.
get ready to read.
Twinkle, twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are.
22. Reading:
Reading together with children
is the single most important way to
help them get ready to read.
Shared reading is the best
way to help your child get
ready to read.
23. FYI
Reading:
Shared reading develops
vocabulary and comprehension.
Shared reading is the best
way to help your child get
ready to read.
24. Reading:
Reading helps children learn
less common words.
Talk about the meaning of
words as you read.
Shared reading is the best
way to help your child get
ready to read.
25. FYI
Reading:
How you share books with
your child is important.
Shared reading is the best
way to help your child get
ready to read.
26. Environmental
Print
Definition: Environmental
Print is the print all around
us in everyday life.
Resources for environmental print:
Books, billboards, calendars, catalogs, comics,
containers, coupons, flyers, greeting cards, grocery
stores, journals, labels, magazines, menus,
newspapers, office supply packaging, posters,
recipes, road signs, snack bags, telephone books,
and websites…
27. Writing:
Reading and writing go together.
Writing helps your child
get ready to read.
28. Writing:
Making Marks Drawing and Writing
Writing helps your child Name Writing Word Writing
get ready to read.
34. Talking & Reading at the Library!
(Mention specific library
programs and materials that
support ECRR)
35. Singing at the Library!
We have music to borrow.
Laurie Berkner
Jim Gill
Hap Palmer
Dr. Jean
Jim Hossick
Raffi
...And hundreds more!
Music CD's check out for 3 weeks like a book
[Presenter: Welcome parents and caregivers and introduce the workshop.] Points to make We are happy you are here. We are going to have fun together while we talk about how to start getting your child ready to read. You will leave with ideas you can begin to use today.
Points to make From the time they are infants, children learn language and other important skills that will help them learn to read. [Presenter: Ask audience members the ages of their children.] Whether your child is four days old or four years old, it is not too early or too late to help him or her develop important literacy and pre-reading skills. Developing early literacy skills now will make it easier for your child to learn to read when he or she starts school. You can help your child learn language and other early literacy skills with simple activities. These are easy to make part of your everyday routine and are fun for both you and your child.
Points to make Children’s reading success in kindergarten and beyond begins with positive language and literacy experiences from the time they are infants. If children develop pre-reading skills before they start kindergarten, they can focus on learning to read once they begin school. Children who start kindergarten ready to learn to read have greater success throughout their school years. They are more likely to read at or above grade level by the end of 2nd grade. Children who read at or above grade level by the end of 4th grade are much more likely to graduate from high school and be successful readers and learners throughout their lives.
Points to make The young children in your care spend more of their waking hours with you than anyone else. You are in the best position to help them get ready to read because: Young children have short attention spans. You can do activities for short bits of time throughout the day. You can help your children learn in ways and at times that are best for them. As important adults in their lives, you are tremendous role models—if the children see that you think reading is important and enjoy it, they will follow your lead. Children learn best by doing—and they love doing things with YOU.
Points to make Learning to read involves two key skills: Children must learn to decode print. They need to understand that the words they hear and say can be written with letters (the code). They need to learn that letters represent the sounds they hear in words. Children need to understand or comprehend what print says. They need to learn the meaning of individual words. They also need to understand the meaning of the books or stories they read.
[Presenter: Ask the audience to decode this. Answer: “I can read.” Ask the audience what steps they took to decode this sentence.] Points to make You decoded the symbols. You matched the symbols to letters and sounds and read the words.
[Presenter: Ask someone to read the sentence and then ask what the underlined words mean.] Points to make If you don’t know what “hipple” and “roffs” mean, you do not know what the sentence means. Children can learn to decode words but not understand what they mean. To become good readers, children must decode words and interpret their meaning. These are skills children need to develop before they actually learn to read. That is why it is important to start now to get your child ready to read. Let’s talk a little more about decoding and comprehension skills.
Points to make Remember that children need to learn two key skills. The first is decoding. In order to decode words, children need to: Notice print and understand that printed words stand for spoken words. Know how a book works: how to open a book, turn pages, and follow words on a page from left to right. Know letter names and sounds. Be able to hear and play with the sounds in words. Knowing letter names and sounds and being able to hear and play with the sounds in words are the strongest predictors of early reading success.
Points to make To become successful readers, children need to understand the meaning of what they read. Making sense of written language—comprehension—is at the heart of what it means to be a good reader. Vocabulary and comprehension skills start to develop from the time a child is an infant. A baby listens to what parents and other caregivers say and learns the meaning of words. The more language experiences children have, the more words they learn and the better they become at understanding the meaning of what is being said. This will help children understand the meaning of written words as they learn to read.
Points to make We are going to talk about five of the best ways to help children learn pre-reading skills and get ready to read. These five practices are easy to do with children of all ages. They can be done at home, at the doctor’s office, in the car, or anywhere you and your child spend time together. The five best ways to help your child get ready to read are: Talking Singing Reading Writing Playing When you leave the library today, you will have ideas for how to use these practices to help your child get ready to read.
Points to make The 6 skills don’t grow one-by-one; they develop together and support each other. Any single activity may help a child stretch and grow in several skill areas at the same time. Focusing too much on a single skill at a time can make activities less rich, and less fun. Tonight we’ll talk about how the 5 practices of talking, singing, reading, writing and playing can be used to encourage growth across these important skills, and even more.
Points to make Getting ready to read involves many skills. Some children learn these skills earlier and more quickly than other children, just like children learn to walk and talk at different ages. When you use the five practices, you can help your children learn important pre-reading skills that are appropriate for their ages and interests. Don’t push your child. Do have fun with these activities every day so your child wants to do them again and again!
Points to make: Children learn language by listening to their parents and others talk. As they hear spoken words, children learn: How individual words sound, which helps them decode words. What words mean, which increases their vocabulary. How words can be put together to communicate ideas and information, which leads to comprehension.
[Presenter: Explain that some ways of talking with children are especially good at helping them think and learn. Watch the “Denny & Tanner” video and then ask the following.] Points to make What differences did you see in the two conversations? Answers include: In the second conversation, the parent paid more attention to the child, answered questions, used new words, modeled correct grammar, and extended the conversation to add meaning. Make sure your child has lots of opportunities to talk with you, not just listen to you talk. Respond to what your child says and follow his or her lead. Answer your child’s questions as completely as possible. Your explanations help your child learn more about the world. If your child isn’t talking yet, ask a question, wait for him or her to react with a gesture or by babbling, and then give feedback, such as, “Yes, the two bunnies are chasing each other.” Ask your toddler to tell you about something that happened to him or her today; ask for more details so your child can expand on the story. Ask questions that have more than a “yes” or “no” answer. This encourages your child to think about possible answers and to ask more questions. This increases comprehension skills.
[Presenter: Watch the “Stretching Language- Toddler” video about how to talk to children so they learn new words and information. Ask the audience to make note of what words the father introduces during this short conversation. Answers include eggplant, squishy, Italian, pieces, and finished. Then make the following points.] Points to make When you talk with your child: Use new words. Good readers have a large vocabulary. Knowing lots of words helps children better understand what they read. Begin this early, even before your children learn to talk. Take turns. Children are just beginning to learn how to have a conversation. It is important for you to ask questions and listen to what your children say in response. Make connections. Help children remember past events and connect them to current and future activities. This helps children develop an understanding that language can represent events that are not happening now.
[Presenter: Choose a book like The Little Red Hen or one of your favorite titles and demonstrate how to use the book as a way to have a conversation with children. Demonstrate the following so parents can learn how to take a “picture walk” and have a conversation about a book. Look at the cover. Point out the title and author. Talk about the illustration; ask what your child thinks the story is about. “ Walk” through the book, page by page. Talk about the characters, and predict what might happen to them. Make a guess about how the book will end. Stress that a picture walk is not reading the book. It’s having a conversation about the story.] Points to make A picture walk is a good example of a quality conversation. A picture walk: Teaches a child to take turns in order to have a conversation. Helps children become familiar with how books work and are organized. Gives parents a chance to introduce new words and what they mean. (“That’s called a peach. It looks a little like an orange. A peach is also a kind of fruit.”) Provides opportunities to rephrase what the child says so he or she can learn more language. (Child: “Me do that.” Parent: “Yes, you have gone down a slide.”) Extends conversations to help children learn more about something. (Parent: “Yes, that is a cave. A cave is like a hole in a mountain.”) Helps a child make connections to past and future events so he or she understands that language sometimes represents events that are not happening right now.
Handout -http://earlylit.net/workshopmats/ecrr2/parentpicwalk2.pdf Model a Book Walk with the group and then have them pair up to practice.
[Presenter: The video clip “Singing” shows two mothers singing, one in English and one in Spanish. Reinforce the idea that parents and caregivers can use their home language, the one they speak most fluently, to help children learn early literacy skills. Before you watch the video clip, introduce it by saying that songs are a natural way to learn about language. Ask the audience to notice how the songs in the video clip slow down language so children can hear the sounds in words and how children can learn new words as they sing songs. Watch the video clip and then discuss the following.] Points to make Songs help children develop listening skills and pay attention to the rhythms and rhymes of spoken language. Most songs have a different note for each syllable. This helps children break down words so they hear individual sounds in a word. Singing also slows down language so children can hear different parts of words and notice how they are alike and different. Clapping along to rhythms helps children hear the syllables in words and helps them improve motor skills. Singing also helps children learn new words and adds to their general knowledge.
[Presenter: This is an optional activity. Include or exclude it depending on your audience and the time available. If you use this slide, have a recording of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” ready to play. First read “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” Then click the speaker symbol to play a recording of someone singing it. Point out how singing slows down language. This helps children hear the sounds that make up words.]
Handout: List of suggested books for singing!
Points to make No matter what your child’s age, reading together—or shared reading—is the single most important activity that you can do to help your child get ready to read. Shared reading is valuable because your child has your full attention, and you are enjoying the experience together. Shared reading helps a child develop a love of reading and an appreciation of books. Children who enjoy being read to are more likely to want to learn to read themselves. A child’s interest in reading is an important predictor of later reading achievement.
Points to make Reading together and talking about what you read: Increases children’s vocabulary and background knowledge. Helps children learn how books work and how written language looks. Gives them an understanding of how stories are organized—that they have a beginning, middle, and end. Encourages imaginative thinking.
Points to make Remember how learning vocabulary is something that begins at birth and continues throughout school? Shared reading is one of the best ways to help children learn vocabulary. Knowing more words helps children learn to read more easily. Children learn more new words from shared reading. Books can teach less common words, words that children might not hear in everyday conversation. Reading is the best way to introduce these “rarer” or less common words. Make sure you stop and take time to explain what the words mean. Children who have larger vocabularies are more likely to become better readers. [Presenter: Have adults select a picture book and ask them to find words that their children might not hear in everyday conversation. Model how to talk with children about the meaning of “rarer” words.]
[Presenter: Play one or both of the two video clips and discuss- “Kristi & Carly Shared Reading Nonfiction,” and/or “Pretend Reading Toddler.” Point out how the mother lets her daughter tell parts of the story and how the mother asks her daughter questions to make shared reading an interactive experience. Then use a favorite predictable book, like The Little Red Hen , to demonstrate the interactive nature of reading aloud.] Points to make Many times when books are shared, the parent reads and the child listens. But children learn best when they are actively involved. Here are ways your child can participate in shared reading. [Presenter: demonstrate the following as you explain how shared reading can be interactive.] Point to the illustration on the book’s cover and ask your child what he or she thinks the book is about. With predictable books like The Little Red Hen , stop before the end of a predictable line and let your child finish it. As you read have your child turn the pages. Or if your child is too young say, “Now I’m going to turn the page.” Make observations and involve your child: “The hen is taking the wheat to the mill. What do you think will happen there?” Ask open-ended questions: “What do you think is going to happen next?” “What would you do if that happened to you?” “How would you feel?” “Why do you think that happened?” Expand on what your child says by repeating or paraphrasing, adding details, and using new words.
Reading Handout-http://earlylit.net/workshopmats/ecrr2/parentpicwalk2.pdf Activity– List as many examples as possible that children may see from when they wake up in the morning till when they arrive at daycare. Use the Environmental Print Flashcards to discuss examples.
Points to make Reading and writing go together. Both are ways to represent spoken words and to communicate information or tell stories. Children become aware that printed letters stand for spoken words as they see print used in their daily lives. They see parents and others read newspapers, food labels, road signs, and mail. They watch caregivers write lists, jot down reminders, or make notes on a calendar. Children develop a knowledge of the purpose and meaning of reading through writing. Once your child can grasp a thick crayon or marker, give him or her unlined paper and plenty of opportunities to draw and write. Talk to your child about what he or she draws, ask questions, and respond to what your child says. You also can make up a story to go with the drawing.
[Presenter: Ask participants how it would feel to write their name or draw with their non-dominant hand. Or, alternatively, have them actually try this and ask how it felt. Point out that children need time and practice to develop the physical ability to write.] Points to make As children scribble and draw, they practice eye-hand coordination and exercise the muscles in their fingers and hands. This helps develop the fine motor control they need to write letters and words. Encourage your children to “sign” their name on their drawings. Even if this begins as a scribble, children learn that they can write something that represents their name. Later your child will write the initials of his or her first and last name and then the complete name. Ask your child to label parts of his or her drawings. This also helps your child understand that letters and words stand for things.
Practice writing with your hands in a tray of shaving cream! Alternate activities include finger-painting, or “mess-free” painting with sealed zipper bags of paint.
[Presenter: Watch the “Pretend Play Toddler” video clip and discuss the points below using examples from the video clip.] Points to make Play is one of the best ways for children to learn language and literacy skills. Play helps children think symbolically: a ruler becomes a magic wand, today becomes a time when dinosaurs were alive, a playmate becomes an astronaut exploring space. Through play, children realize that one thing can stand for another. This also helps children understand that written words stand for real objects and experiences.
Points to make Pretend play helps children think symbolically and develop oral language skills. As children play store or pretend to be an animal, they talk about what they’re doing. They practice putting thoughts into words. Dramatic play helps develop narrative skills as children make up a story about what they’re doing. This helps them understand that stories happen in an order: first, next, last. Make-believe also gives children a chance to act out real-life situations, work through worries and fears, and use their imagination to solve problems. Play helps children feel a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence. This motivates them to try new experiences and to not give up when something seems difficult .
Take a brief break for Lego or Puppet Play– Demonstrate & explain how caregivers can extend play by asking questions, pretending and projecting.
Points to make The library has many materials and ideas you can use to talk, sing, read, write, and play with your child. It does not matter if your child is four days old or four years old, we have books, music, programs, and services to help your child learn language and pre-reading skills. Here are just a few examples:
(Note: this will be customized with your library’s information)
(Note: this will be customized with your library’s information) We don’t leave markers and crayons around in the library… for obvious reasons! But we do offer other activities that help young children get ready to write. We have Magna-Doodles in our Active Learning Center baskets, a bead maze cube to practice hand-eye coordination, a sand table and magnetic tracing mazes to practice the pinch-grip and tracing and following lines!
(Note: this will be customized with your library’s information) Handout: Active Learning Centers brochure Active Learning Centers are located in the children’s area and around the library for you and your child to explore together. These Centers provide opportunities for you to enjoy meaningful play with your child and at the same time help your child develop early reading skills. Play is a child’s work! They learn, grow and develop through hands-on activities that include talking, reading, singing, writing and playing. The activities in the Active Learning Centers focus on these practices.
