| Parents know that they need to think about how | | | | Even before children learn to talk, parents |
| they will help to prepare their children to learn to | | | | naturally set them up for verbal communication. |
| read. When should all of this begin? The surprising | | | | How many times have we all witnessed parents |
| answer is that it may be far earlier than you | | | | who talk to their children while dressing them? |
| think. | | | | That parent might say something like "Here's your |
| Many professionals have said that parents are the | | | | pretty pink dress!" or "Do you want to wear the |
| first educators. And, whether parents elect to | | | | blue shirt or the brown one?" Those parents who |
| traditionally educate their children or dedicate a | | | | talk often with their children long before the kids |
| significant portion of their own time, effort, and | | | | can hold up their own end of the conversation |
| resources to homeschool their children, scientific | | | | are, almost stealthily, teaching their children |
| evidence strongly holds that parents can, should, | | | | pre-reading skills. |
| and do begin educating their children long before | | | | Another way young children learn pre-reading skills |
| they consider beginning any sort of formal, | | | | is through exposure to those well-recognized early |
| structured education efforts. | | | | reader board books. These books, made from |
| Many parents, especially new and homeschooling | | | | thick cardboard and easy for less-than-nimble |
| parents, hesitate to "push" a child into reading | | | | fingers to manipulate have simple, colorful pictures |
| before they are "ready." However, reading is | | | | and short, basic words. They help pre-readers |
| merely a visual representation of the spoken | | | | learn to associate words with objects and people |
| word. And, just as we teach our children to talk | | | | in a different way than they were learning when |
| and the appropriate words for objects and | | | | they held an object in their hands while mom or |
| people, we can begin early to teach our children | | | | dad told them what that object was or when |
| how letters (i.e., symbols) represent certain | | | | they began learning that people had names and |
| sounds, and when those letter symbols are | | | | titles. |
| grouped, they form words. This natural education | | | | Measuring Pre-reading Success |
| process is less "pushing" than it is simple language | | | | The success of a parent's pre-reading instruction |
| acquisition. Some educators and experts refer to | | | | can actually be measured. In general, children who |
| this process as pre-reading. | | | | have had lots of pre-reading activity exposure |
| Pre-reading Leads to Reading Success | | | | begin speaking earlier than children who have not. |
| Pre-reading activities begin early and most parents | | | | Consider that research indicates that parents who |
| aren't even aware they are preparing their young | | | | speak to their children often seem to have kids |
| children to read. Parents might sing the alphabet | | | | who begin to speak at an earlier age. Parents who |
| song to help a cranky baby get to sleep. A child's | | | | limit how much they speak to their very young |
| nursery might be adorned with an ABC border. | | | | children might notice that those children are "late" |
| Colorful magnetic letters might litter the | | | | talkers. |
| refrigerator waiting for parent and child to make | | | | Children learn quickly and naturally, given the |
| words. These (apparently) unusual activities are | | | | opportunity. And, although parents might be |
| what prepare children to learn to read. | | | | hesitant to push their children into learning, they |
| Pre-reading is really all about exposing the child to | | | | must also understand that it is their responsibility |
| both spoken and written language. Parents can | | | | to give their children the tools they need to |
| set their children up for success without pushing | | | | develop the proper pre-reading skills. Providing |
| by making sure that they have the maximum | | | | children with fun and interesting ways to develop |
| exposure to these activities. Technology has even | | | | language skills is very different from requiring a |
| given children a new opportunity for early learning | | | | minimum number of formal teaching hours for |
| called syllabics. Syllabics, which focuses on the | | | | pre-reading children. One scenario can be identified |
| sounds associated with all letters, or phonics, | | | | as learning fun. The second might be more along |
| which deals mainly with the sounds associated | | | | the lines of the "pushing" that parents are trying |
| with the consonants, can be easily learned with | | | | to avoid. Knowing the difference between the |
| readily available preschool computer software. | | | | two can set the stage for reading success. |
| Pre-reading, Games, and Conversation | | | | |