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The Six Early Literacy Skills

What you do helps your child get ready to read! According to research, there are six pre-reading skills that children must learn in order to learn to read. Activities you do to support each of these skills will change as your child grows! – Contact Sheri


1

Narrative Skills

Being able to describe things and events and to tell stories.

What can you do?

Make up or tell stories together and encourage pretend play.


2

Phonological Awareness

The ability to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words.

What can you do?

Sings songs, play games and share rhymes.


3

Vocabulary

Knowing the name of things.

What can you do?

Talk, talk, talk and read, read, read with your child.


4

Print Motivation

A child’s interest in and enjoyment of books.

What can you do?

Find books about your child’s interests. Make sure that story time at home is relaxed and fun.


5

Print Awareness

Noticing print, knowing how to handle a book, and how to follow the written word on a page.

What can you do?

Help your child discover how to hold a book and turn the pages. Follow the story with your finger.


6

Letter Knowledge

Learning to name letters, knowing they have sounds, and recognizing them everywhere.

What can you do?

Help your child identify the first letter in his/her name and look for it in books and on signs.

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