Early Literacy

Memorization is not the key to reading.Parents see many advertisements that promise their child can become the next Einstein with the right combination of learning toys and DVDs. It’s easy for parents to get caught up in the idea that new, better products make smarter children. Many of these products emphasize memorization, but that's not an important focus for pre-school children.

While we can’t expect infants and toddlers to learn to read and write yet, they are nevertheless developing skills that provide a foundation for later literacy. When you share books with your young child, you support emerging literacy as you:

• help your child learn that pictures and words are symbols that can be interpreted;
• expose your child to new words, thereby increasing their vocabulary; and
• familiarize your child with the conventions of print.

We all know that it’s good to read to our babies. But what exactly are they learning? Read this article, 13 Things Babies Learn When We Read with Them, to see some of the things your baby can learn as you read together.

As a parent of a beginning reader, it's important to support your child's reading efforts in a positive way and help them along the reading path. Read this article, Beginning Readers, to learn about beginning readers and a few pointers to keep in mind.