Children and Reading : Preschoolers

by National Institute of Health

(Page 3 of 3)

At ages 3 and 4, children are growing rapidly in their language use and in their knowledge of reading and writing. They are learning the meanings of many new words, and they are beginning to use words in more complicated sentences when they speak. They know more about books and print. They are eager to write. They may even be showing an interest in learning to read. Many three- and four-year-old children attend day care centers or preschool for part or most of the day. The information in this section of the booklet will help you and your child, whether your child stays at home all day or attends a day care center or preschool.

What to do at home

Continue to talk and read with your child, as you did when he was an infant and toddler. Also, add some new and more challenging activities.

Talk and listen

1. When you do something together - eating, shopping, taking a walk, visiting a relative - talk about it.

2. Take your child to new places and introduce him to new experiences. Talk about the new, interesting, and unusual things that you see and do.

3. Teach your child the meaning of new words. Say the names of things around the house. Label and talk about things in pictures. Explain, in simple ways, how to use familiar objects and how they work.

4. Help your child to follow directions. Use short, clear sentences to tell him what you want him to do.

5. Play with words. Have fun with tongue twisters such as "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers" and nonsense rhymes such as "Hey Diddle, Diddle," as well as more modern nonsense rhymes.

Read together

1. Keep reading to your child. Read her a lot of different kinds of books. Reread her favorite books, even it you get tired of them before she does.

2. Read predictable books. Your child will begin to recognize the repeated words and phrases and have fun saying them with you.

3. Read poetry and other rhyming books to your child. When reading a familiar rhyme, stop before a rhyming word and ask your child to provide the word.

4. Ask your child what she thinks will happen next in a story. Get excited when she finds out whether her guess was right.

5. Talk about books. Ask about favorite parts. Help your child relate the story to his own life. Answer his questions about characters or events.

6. Build a library, or book collection, for your child. Look for books at bookstores, garage sales, used bookstores, and sales at the library. Suggest that people give books to your child as birthday gifts and on other special days.

Teach about print and letters

1. Help your child learn to recognize her name in print. As she watches, print the letters of her name, saying each letter as you write it. Display her name in special places in your home. Encourage her to spell and write her name.

2. Point out words and letters everywhere you can. Read street signs, traffic signs, billboards, and store signs. Point out certain letters in these signs. Ask your child to begin naming common signs and find some letters.

3. Teach your child the alphabet song.

4. Share alphabet books with your child. Some alphabet books have songs and games that you can learn together.

5. Put magnetic letters on your refrigerator or other smooth, safe metal surface. Ask your child to name the letters as he plays with them.

6. Play games using the alphabet. Ask your child to find letters in books, magazines, newspapers, and other print.

What to look for in daycare centers and preschool

If your child attends a day care center or preschool, look for these important characteristics of teachers, classrooms, and instruction.

Teachers

In quality day care centers and preschools, teachers: keep a well-run, orderly classroom that also encourages children to participate in and enjoy learning, use many creative ways to help children learn language and learn the knowledge and skills that will help them become readers.

Classrooms

In quality day care centers and preschools, classrooms have: lots of books and magazines that children can handle and play with areas for many different activities, such as art, science, housekeeping, writing, and perhaps computers. Plenty of print on labels, signs, and posters writing materials, including paper, pencils, crayons, and markers magnetic letters, or letters made of foam, plastic, wood, or other durable material so children can pretend write and play.

Instruction

In quality day care centers and preschools, teachers: read aloud to children frequently, from many different kinds of books. Talk with children throughout the day and listen carefully to what they say.

Play games such as "Simon Says" and "Mother, May I?" that require children to listen carefully give children opportunities to build their knowledge by exploring their interests and ideas. Help children learn the meanings of new words by naming colors, shapes, animals, familiar objects, and parts of the classroom. Teach about the sounds of spoken language by reading aloud books with interesting sounds, chanting, and rhyming; by having children say or sing nursery rhymes and songs; and by playing word games. Teach children about print by pointing out and using the print that is all around them, teach the letters of the alphabet, encourage children to scribble, draw, and try to write.

What children should be able to do by age 5

The following is a list of some accomplishments that you can expect for your child by age 5. This list is based on research in the fields of reading, early childhood education, and child development. Remember, though, that children don't develop and learn at the same pace and in the same way. Your child may be more advanced or need more help than others in her age group. You are, of course, the best judge of your child's abilities and needs. You should take the accomplishments as guidelines and not as hard-and-fast rules.

Spoken language

A five-year-old child understands and follows oral (or spoken) directions, uses new words and longer sentences when she speaks, recognizes the beginning sounds of words and sounds that rhyme, listens carefully when books are read aloud.

Reading

A five-year-old child shows interest in books and reading, might try to read, calling attention to himself and showing pride in what he can do ("See, I can read this book!"). Can follow the series of events in some stories, can connect what happens in books to her life and experiences, asks questions and makes comments that show he understands the book he is listening to.

Print and letters

A five-year-old child knows the difference between print (words) and pictures and knows that print is what you read, recognizes print around him on signs, on television, onboxes, and many other places. Understands that writing has a lot of different purposes (for example, signs tell where something is located, lists can be used for grocery shopping, directions can tell you how to put something together). Knows that each letter in the alphabet has a name, can name at least 10 letters in the alphabet, especially the ones in her name. "Writes," or scribbles, messages.

About the Author

NIH is the nation's medical research agency - making important medical discoveries that improve health and save lives. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research.