Help Your Preschool Child Prepare to Read
Posted: Wednesday, September 03, 2008
by Sheila Carroll
Living Books Curriculum
Once upon a time....
Remember hearing stories as a child? If you heard them, I bet you enjoyed and still remember them. Your preschool child is no exception. Stories make us pick up our ears, don't they? Storyteller Kendall Haven in Story Proof says it is because our brains are wired to understand and interpret information as a story.
Storytelling is a powerful tool for learning readiness and it is fun. Tell or read aloud stories. This will give your child oral experiences that stick. This oral language experience with stories will give your child a rich vocabulary.
When your child begins to associate the abstract characters of the printed word with the meaning of the words themselves, he or she has a whole range provided by the stories. The child can make the connection between the print, "cat" for example, and the fuzzy thing sleeping on the end of his bed. It is an exciting time for a child when the world of books opens up. Reading aloud and storytelling will help your child to become a successful reader.
Three Ways to Prepare Your Child for Reading with StoriesStorytelling is a powerful tool for learning readiness and it is fun. Tell or read aloud stories. This will give your child oral experiences that stick. This oral language experience with stories will give your child a rich vocabulary.
When your child begins to associate the abstract characters of the printed word with the meaning of the words themselves, he or she has a whole range provided by the stories. The child can make the connection between the print, "cat" for example, and the fuzzy thing sleeping on the end of his bed. It is an exciting time for a child when the world of books opens up. Reading aloud and storytelling will help your child to become a successful reader.
- Read aloud the best literature possible. Fragmented, factual books without a story line do not offer your child the rich language and imagery he will need later when learning to read. Read aloud folk tales and fairy tales. These are among the best for young children. Ask the librarian and your local library to show you the folk literature section and the picture book section.
- Read aloud nursery rhymes. Dr. Susan B. Neuman, expert in early childhood literacy at the University of Michigan reports the nursery rhymes many of heard as children are very memorable. Her research found that children exposed to nursery rhymes learn to read more quickly and easily. She concluded that rhyming establish common word patterns such as up/pup. Note: Use early versions of Mother Goose rhymes, rather than a modern telling which tends to flatten the language and imagery.
- Tell stories from your childhood. A good opportunity is bedtime. Another is when your child is experiencing something for the first time. For example, the first time learning to ride a bike or eating a new food. Holidays are another perfect time for stories about your own childhood celebrations.
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