“Early literacy” means everything kids know before they learn to read or write. Developing early literacy skills helps set kids up for a lifetime of loving to read!
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Print Motivation
Interest in and enjoyment of books
When kids experience books and reading as positive or enjoyable, they are more likely to want to learn to read on their own. Motivation is key because learning to read is hard work!
Print Awareness
Noticing print everywhere, knowing how to handle a book and how to follow the words on the page
Kids need to be aware of words – what those black squiggles are and that they have meaning – before they can read them. Kids also need to know how books work: which cover is the front, whether the book is upside down, reading from left to right, etc.
Letter Knowledge & Vocabulary
Knowing that letters are different from each other, knowing letter names and sounds, recognizing letters everywhere, and knowing a wide variety of words
In order to read words, there needs to be an understanding that each word is made up of individual letters. Then, when kids start sounding out words, they have an easier time recognizing the sounds in words they already know.
Narrative Skills
Telling stories, describing things and events they recall from books, knowing the order of events, and making predictions about what will happen next
When kids can retell stories or describe the details of events that happened in a book, it shows they are comprehending what is being read. Understanding is great motivation to keep going and learning to read on their own!