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Learning to read isn't something that just happens once your child starts kindergarten. It is a process that begins with the words we speak to our babies and evolves as they listen to conversations, begin to mimic sounds, and learn to communicate on their own. For young children, reading is a process that occurs over a number of years through regular practice. Here's how to identify the pre-reading skills your child will need to master in order to read, as well as ideas to help practice those skills with your child.
What are the five pre-reading skills?
There are five main factors that determine a child's level of comprehension as it relates to pre-reading skills and literacy.
Letter knowledge
Because many parents and caregivers begin teaching their preschoolers letters through the alphabet song, letter knowledge is usually the first of five pre-literacy skills.
Listening comprehension
Early on when speaking to your child or telling them stories, they begin to develop listening comprehension skills; they're honing communication skills and trying to make sense of language.
Motivation to read
Young children tend to copy what they see, and if a caregiver is modeling reading and reading to the child, the motivation to read begins to emerge. Your child may grab books from the shelf and begin turning pages. They may start from the back of the book or turn pages from top to bottom, but they're essentially modeling behavior that they see.
Print awareness
Often preschoolers will scribble "letters" on paper with their crayons and tell you that it spells their name or another familiar word. At this point, they're exhibiting signs of print awareness.
Phonological awareness
Phonological awareness occurs when children begin putting letter sounds together and begin to rhyme and break sentences down by individual words.
Activities to boost reading skills development
One of the best ways to foster a love of reading and promote pre-reading skills in young children is to read to them often, regardless of their age or comprehension skill level.
The simple act of reading to your child enhances preliterary skills and exposes them to a variety of vocabulary words essential for language development. Incorporate reading into your child's bedtime routine, implement daily storytime at home, or attend events at your local library.
Play is the work of the child, and acting out your child's favorite books or stories using puppets or stuffed animals is a great way to enhance reading skills development in young children. Chelsea Day is a homeschooling mom of four who uses toys and manipulatives to encourage literacy.
"Kids have such varying learning styles, so it’s important to enforce pre-reading skills by getting hands-on, practicing visual recognition, and repeating the sounds out loud. There are lots of fun games that incorporate all of these elements," Day told Mom.com.
On her blog, Chelsea shared a pre-reading skills activity using plastic pit balls with letters written on them, to coax her children into hands-on letter- and word-play that changes and evolves as they grow and their skills develop.
Assessing your child's pre-reading skills
If you've spent time playing rhyming games, working to get your child to emulate letter sounds, and reading to your child consistently but notice that they're having difficulty rhyming or hearing individual sounds, they may be exhibiting early signs of reading difficulty.
Most experts would suggest waiting it out to see if your child catches on later. However, parents and caregivers know their children, so if something seems off, it may be a good idea to reach out to your child's doctor for a referral to a speech-language pathologist.
You may also want to consider "testing" your child's reading skills by presenting more formal assessments in a fun and relaxed way. Preschool reading workbooks and activities that include beginning, middle, end, or first, next, and last activities are a good start. Sequencing is a large part of reading comprehension, so these types of assessments can give you a better understanding of your child’s progress.
You might also want to try literacy-based apps or websites for a change of pace. Educational apps are often created by curriculum designers who understand the ins and outs of early childhood education and they may be a good guide to help determine where your child stands in terms of pre-reading skills.
Keep things light and fun at the preschool level (and beyond). The last thing you want to do is frustrate your child and discourage them from even attempting to read. Despite wanting to know how well your child is doing, remember, encouraging pre-reading skills in children goes beyond simply teaching them to read.
"It is important for parents to keep in mind the bigger goal, which is to create lifelong readers," reading specialist Samantha Davidson told Mom.com. "Modeling reading, curating a library for them, and making reading not a punishment but enjoyment for them are key. Helping your child to not only learn to read but also to enjoy reading will be valuable in the long run."
