Factors Necessary for Reading Readiness

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.