What is Early Literacy?

Early Literacy is what children know about reading before they know how to read. Children begin to acquire language skills long before they are able to read. The lessons children learn early on help to make them better readers as they grow. Early literacy guides offer simple tips on how to help children grow into strong readers, as well as book suggestions, and tips for making the most of reading time with your child.

Developing Reading Skills

There are "Six Skills" your child needs to develop into a strong reader: Narrative Skills, Vocabulary, Print Awareness, Letter Knowledge, Print Motivation, and Phonological Awareness. The guides below offer tips on how you can help your child develop each skill as he or she grows.

Parent Guide to Developing Pre-Reading Skills (English and Spanish)
Birth to 2 years - Early Talkers (PDF)
Parent Guide for 2 & 3 year olds- Talkers (PDF)
Parent Guide for 4 & 5 year olds - Pre-Readers (PDF)

Help Your Child Get Ready to Read with These 6 Skills
Excellent website the describes how to aid your child's development of each reading skill. Tips for each of the 6 skills are given for pre-talkers, talkers, and pre-readers. Straightforward and very helpful!

Tips for Reading to Children

• Reading to Preschoolers
  Offers suggestions for how to make reading interesting, comforting, and fun. Excellent source for tips.
• Reading to and with Children in K through Grade 3
  Tips for how to keep your child interested in reading. Explains how you can help to teach your child to read while keeping things fun instead of using teaching techniques.
• Reading to and with Children in Grades 4-6
  Suggestions for discussing books with your child. Help children compare and contrast ideas.

Helpful Websites for Parents & Caregivers

• Babies and Books
  Describes behaviors for newborns to age 3 and what activities are good at each developmental stage. You'll find suggested books for each stage of development.
• Birth to Six: Early Literacy
  Early Reading tips and information. You'll find reading tips in 12 languages.
• Growing Up Reading
  Describes development of reading and language skills from birth to first grade. You'll find book and activity suggestions for babes, toddlers, preschoolers, to first graders.
• Reading is Fundamental: Babies, Toddlers & Preschoolers
  Suggests types of books for each state of development and tips for reaing with your child.
• PBS Parents Guide to Reading & Language - Learn how children become readers and writers and how YOU can help them develop by talking, reading, and writing together every day.
• Read me a Story - Reading Checkup Guide - Advice for parents about helping children develop reading skills, from the Americn Academy of Pediatrics.