Just as a baby first learns to roll over, then crawl and then walk, students need to learn the basics first and then add to each step along the way. Preschool reading is just as important as higher education reading skills. The basic preschool reading steps include, but are not limited to, reading to your child so they begin to understand the print concept. That is the printed pages of books have meaning. We often start with nursery rhymes with our little children, repeating them over and over and then showing them picture books. Other ways to introduce the preschool reading concepts include reciting the alphabet, alphabet games and learning the names of objects around the surroundings.
For a better understanding on this we can look to the Reading Pyramid that Time4Learning has put together to better explain the process of learning to read.
Another important concept of pre-reading skills that develop early is Phonemic Awareness. This is the understanding that words are made up of different sounds. Some of the very first sounds we teach our child is the "MA" sound. We then teach the word "mama". This is a very basic awareness that is then built on as the baby grows older more complex sounds are taught and learned. Children without phonological understanding might not have learned to hear the difference between three or free, lice or rice, meat or neat. Phonological is another important pre-reading skill which also must be learned and practiced.
Parents can help develop these strong pre-reading skills by providing high-quality educational materials, establishing a pattern of daily reading, and creating a rich language environment. As your child grows, games, higher workbooks and higher quality computer programs such as what Time4Learning has to offer can be added to help teach and reinforce reading skills. |
