Reading is a very complex skill, and one that can begin years before children enter school. Research has identified six factors that need to be in place to greatly improve a child's readiness to learn to read. They include:
- Vocabulary. Knowledge of the names of things and concepts.
- Print Motivation. Refers to the interest and enjoyment a child has with books.
- Narrative Skills. The ability to describe things and events and to tell stories or convey ideas.
- Phonological Awareness. The ability to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words.
- Print Awareness. Refers to how aware a child is of print, knowledge of how to handle a book, and how to follow the written word on a page.
- Letter Knowledge. Refers to learning the sounds and names of letters, and the ability to recognize them in their environment.
I am preparing articles on activities parents, care-givers and teachers can do with babies and children to ensure that children have ample positive reading experiences that work on all of the factors listed above.
