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DEL.ICIO.USThe journey to literacy: Priceless
Expert tips for helping your child learn to read. What things have you tried?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My soon-to-be 5-year-old son has recently become a READER! It is amazing to watch him pick up a book he’s never seen before and sound out the words and read the sentences. He’s so proud and so are we.
It’s an incredible journey for children to become readers. Parents must guide their kids from being non-speaking infants to talking toddlers and finally to school-age readers and writers. It is sometimes a slow and difficult process and many parents may wonder: How can I most effectively help my children become literate?
To try to answer that question, I interviewed reading expert Kathleen Hayes about emergent readers — or children who are just starting to learn to read. Hayes is the editor of Highlight Hive Five magazine, which is aimed at children ages 2 to 6. She is a former children’s librarian, teacher and professor of early childhood education. Here were some of her insights into helping our children learn to read:
“People mistakenly think that learning to read is only about seeing things in print and decoding them. Literacy is about speaking and listening and reading and writing,” says Hayes.
Because literacy is about communication, it’s not just important to read to your baby but also to talk to your baby. “Research is telling us now that when children come into school, if they haven’t had a lot of exposure to oral language, they’re not developing their own expressive and receptive language abilities (speaking and listening.)” Your babies and toddlers need to hear you playing with the language. Talk to them all the time and reinforce what they are seeing. (Oh, I see the blue bus.)
Hayes says babies and toddlers need the pictures and patterned language in picture and board books. “An important early emergent skill is how to read the picture,” she says. So when my husband and I read the “Nate the Great” chapter books with all three of our kids (because that’s what our eldest is working on), it isn’t the best reading for our 1-year-old. Our baby needs to develop the skills of examining pictures and looking for clues about what she is hearing. (Now I feel bad.)
The patterned language is also very important to young children, says Hayes. “If they’ve had lots of exposure to playing with language and the sound of language, they are much better prepared.” She says nursery rhymes and rhyming in general help train the ear to listen for the sounds of our language.
Young children need to see verbal communication transformed into the written, says Hayes, who as a teacher would ask 4-year-olds to tell her their news for the day. Then she would write what they said on a big sheet of paper. Later they would re-read it.
She said parents should demonstrate that we use print all the time and for many reasons. She suggests using a calendar with big squares and letting the children dictate what happened that day. The children can watch their parents write what they report and then they can re-read together later what happened. They see their words become print.
Write to relatives, she suggested, Send an e-mail to grandma — any kind of print is good. Bump up the font size and let them see their words coming up on the screen as they speak it. For 3- and 4-year-olds clicking on the keyboard and the mouse are easier motor skills than holding a pencil properly.
If they are old enough to write (5 and 6), let them use inventive spelling — just spell it how it sounds. There’s plenty of time to correct that later - it’s just important to get them reading and writing what they hear.
But don’t push children to write too soon. Hayes says the fine motor skills must be developed in a child for him to be able to write. And there are lots of fun activities parents can use to strengthen children’s fingers and help them develop those skills. Hayes says building Legos, playing with clay and Play-Doh are examples. (I’ve also heard that squeezing the tweezers in that Operation Game is good too.)
Read everything and make it relevant to them. Parents should think about literacy in a very broad context — let the kids read ads in the newspaper, read the signs on the street, or on the bus or subway. Reading doesn’t have to happen right before bed and in your pajamas. Let kids read things that are interesting to them — like the prize on the back of a cereal box.
Comments
By Jesse's Girl
May 5, 2008 6:04 AM | Link to this
I still say C and K aren unneccessary:) But good ideas nonetheless!!!
By new mom
May 5, 2008 7:20 AM | Link to this
Theresa,
Thanks for taking the time to do this research. These are good ideas, and good reminders of how important the little everyday things are. I’m sure this will help lots of moms and dads out there!
By Theresa
May 5, 2008 7:43 AM | Link to this
JG - I asked her about the C&K — She said if we has really young not to worry about the difference and to let him use in invetntive spelling — I couldn’t remember his exact age — As far as eventually remembering which is which she said some kids are visual learner and that helps them remember which way to go — others she says just have to remember it — she also pointed out how difficult English is and that other languages don’t do that to kids —
By Theresa
May 5, 2008 7:46 AM | Link to this
I also wanted to mention they have a parenting site to help with activities to do with your kids.
http://www.highlights.com/mt/parents/
She gave me a list of her favorite emergent reader books which I haven’t been able to get up yet but I will — we’ve had a crazy week and weekend —
By maggie
May 5, 2008 8:37 AM | Link to this
Reading has come up in conversation for me, but I need advice. I have tried to read to my 6mo but with no luck. He will start squirming the moment I pull out the book and screaming after I read the title. When is a good time to start teaching that “this is reading time, settle down”??? Do I fight with him or just wait until he is able to handle me reading more than the title to him?
By maggie
May 5, 2008 8:46 AM | Link to this
BTW - I have tried picture books too with the same results… :( HELP!
By almh
May 5, 2008 9:42 AM | Link to this
Interlocking foam alphabet blocks are good for playing Alphabet Twister. The kids are too small to stretch from letter to letter so they just hop on it.
By DB
May 5, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this
Also keep in mind that reading includes a lot of fine motor skills. If you think about it, it takes good motor control in the eye to track a line of words consistently across a page. Parents of kids who may be a little behind in their motor skills development may find that their reading skills are also a little delayed. Ask any good occupational therapist about sensory defensiveness and that range of ADD-like symptoms and how they can affect reading skills. It’s amazing, really, how everything plays into the ability to read.
By fk
May 5, 2008 10:32 AM | Link to this
I swear my son learned the alphabet from Wheel of Fortune. I used to have the show on while I was preparing dinner. Once he heard the music, he’d make his way over to the TV, even when he was crawling. Really, I think it was because of that game show that he learned his letters.
By JJ
May 5, 2008 10:32 AM | Link to this
Maggie NOW is a good time to start. Consistency is the key. Read to him at the same time every day/night. You don’t have necessarily hold him. You can read outloud while he is in his crib/playpen, etc. You can hold him in one arm, and read to him. Read before he goes to sleep, naps and nighttime. It’s never too early to start.
And, it’s not WHAT you read, it’s HOW you read. I used to read the newspaper to my daughter when she was an infant. Use a soothing voice, like you are reading a story.
I have been reading to my daughter since she came home from the hospital. She now has a love of books, and reads just about anything she can get her hands on. I am amazed by the books she brings home. She goes to the library once a week.
On the other hand, my oldest niece HATES to read, because her parents NEVER read to her as a baby/child. She struggles in school when reading assignments are issued. She will not read books to save her life…..I feel bad, there is a whole world out there if you just open a book…..
But start now.
By Theresa
May 5, 2008 11:00 AM | Link to this
One mom told us a while back that she used to read to her kids while they were in the bathtub — it kept them contained and they liked to listen — another one said she read to them while they were eating in their high chair — but honestly I don’t think at 6 months it’s anything to worry about — little boys especially jsut want to run!!! Rose would sit in church reading little books when she was 1 years odl and there was no way in heck Walsh was going to do that — he was running wild all the time —even now rose loves to sit quietly with a book while he’s always blowing stuff up or throwing men at legos — boy and girl differences
By chocoholic
May 5, 2008 11:08 AM | Link to this
Maggie, I understand completely. My 17-month old daugher did the same thing, but I kept reading a book to her every night before bed. She would squirm and fuss and try to tear the pages (when it wasn’t a board book). Somewhere around 1 year, she got interested and now she has an insatiable appetite for books. Unfortunately, she only likes about 1/5 of her collection so I end up reading the same 10 books over and over and over …but I do it because she loves it and I want her to continue to be mesmerized by books!
By new mom
May 5, 2008 11:18 AM | Link to this
Maggie,
We have a 7 and a half month old, and we’ve been reading to her since we brought her home. Sometimes I use that ‘soothing voice’ others refer to, but my goal with her is to make reading FUN!! So I usually make up a song with the words, bounce her up and down, change my voice at times (whisper, shout, etc.) blow on her hair…just make it a multi-sensory event for her. I want her to enjoy books, not just use them as going to bed tools. Now, when we sit in her glider in her room, she smiles and looks around for her books. And she smiles and claps her hands as we ‘read’.
We started with the squishy foam books (baby’s first books, set of three made by sassy from babies r us) They are bright colors and can be drooled on, washed, and won’t cut them. For a while (several months) she would just grab the book out of my hands and either try to eat it or throw it. I would always let her do what she wanted to with the books (because my goal is her loving books) She has gradually become more attentive, and the way I read them has helped too.
Her current favorite is a Sandra Boynton board book ‘Hippos Go Beserk!’ We sing that one, bounce her along, and she just loves it. She also loves ‘wheels on the bus’ because it is a song, and I make her do the hand motions (move on back, up and down, swish swish swish, etc.)
Board books are good for her age—even though she likes to chew on them, and sometimes the pages stick together, they are tough.
My advice—don’t give up! Have fun with it and he will eventually have fun too. And let him set the pace, if he’s tired/bored/cranky, don’t push the book, so he doesn’t associate books with being upset. :)
By Robin
May 5, 2008 11:41 AM | Link to this
I do not have children but I can offer some advice from my own upbringing. I have always been an avid reader; I was the only one in my kindergarten class who could read the entire “works” of Dr. Seuss (I was often called to read before the class.) In the second grade, I could read an entire Nancy Drew book (the old versions from the ’30s, given to me by my aunt, not the new watered down ones)in a day. Today I am working on my thesis for a master’s in English. The love of reading runs in the family; my sister devours novels and is a Jane Austen devotee. Both our homes are overflowing with books. Why? My mother read to us and WITH us every day since birth. I recall distinctly that she would have me read the picture books along with her; she would read aloud, then encourage me to read the next page aloud. If I stumbled, which of course I did, she was very enouraging and forgiving. When we were around town, she would ask me what signs said. When we went places in the car, I could not bring toys but I could bring books. I am also convinced that watching Sesame Street and the Electric Company were huge influences as well (I grew up in the ’70s). Those were really the only shows I was allowed to watch (those and Mr. Rogers and Zoom, but I was limited to PBS) which brings me to another point: my parents allowed me to watch only 4 television shows a week. Integrating reading with daily life (the sign reading, for example), making reading a daily family activity, and limiting TV/video exposure can do wonders for literacy and the love of reading.
By Reader
May 5, 2008 11:48 AM | Link to this
A good technique for active children is to just sit on the floor with them and read out loud, no matter what they are doing. If they’re mobile, they may come and check out what you’re doing.
Get some small board books that he can hold in one hand. Give him 2 of these to hold, chew, etc., while you’re reading. It may buy you some time.
We had a set of board books that were shaped almost like building blocks, with a cube-shaped storage box. These stayed with the toys. My girls would handle them, chew them, look at them. Because they had just one word per page, their wasn’t much reading involved, but I think they did give the message that books (like toys) are fun, books will make my parents act silly or just talk to me and hold me.
Keep board books in every room they play in, in baskets or something else easily accessible to them.
Whatever you do, don’t stop trying. Find a way to way to incorporate reading into everything.
By Kat
May 5, 2008 12:02 PM | Link to this
MAGGIE this is important! Don’t try to force your child to sit in your lap and listen to a book if he’s not ready. There are tons of ways to incorporate literacy activities into his daily routine. Read to him while he’s playing quietly. Recite nursery rhymes while he takes a bath. He does not have to be fcused directly on the book to benefit from hearing the rhythm of written language. Even though it may seem like he’s not paying attention, his little brain is absorbing the experience and forming new connections in response to what he’s hearing. I guarantee that interest in the physical book and pictures will come later.
I’m so glad that the advice in Theresa’s original post includes information on incorporating reading throughout the day. Point out to your child all the ways you read and write each day: I’m writing a check, let’s make a grocery list, how much milk does the box say to add to the muffin mix, I’m writing an email to grandma….when you start pointing out all the ways you use reading & writing in a typical day, you’ll probably realize that you were doing literacy activities with your child all along and just didn’t realize it!
By Joyce
May 5, 2008 12:24 PM | Link to this
Maggie: My son had some issues as well. He would generally sit, but wouldn’t let me go through a book “in order”. I finally just let him turn the pages at will and talked to him about the pictures on those pages. It was pretty frustrating to a brain accustomed to linear thought and order! One night out of the blue, he finally let me read him Good Night Moon all the way through in order. I guess that was when he was ready for it to be that way…I immediately took him outside for a (cold) minute to say “Good night” to the real thing.
By Becky
May 5, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this
Theresa, my granddaughter has just been tested and found to have dyslexia. How about a column on it? I would love to know how other parents have helped dyslexic children and especially what success they have had. Thanks!
By john
May 5, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this
I would say that as a child I really dug getting my own magazine subscriptions and literally couldn’t wait to open the mailbox when I came home from school. I had several subscriptions to magazines that I don’t even know if they still exist (Ranger Rick, World by national geographic, popular mechanics, outdoor life). While I’m sure that many magazines will be inappropriate for children, many will turn them on to the joys of reading and learning about the world. Nature, animals and science are things many kids will take an interest in and not be objectionable by most educated sane parents. If it was my child I would try to stay away from beauty, sports and videogame magazines that basically push an industry.
By Aurora
May 5, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this
Take them to the library every week.
They have wonderful programs at the library, puppet shows, readings, etc.
I’ve been taking my kids to the library since they were 6 months old…..
By A. Nony Mouse.
May 5, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this
My son got a copy of Goodnight Moon. That was the greatest tool to get him interested in the written word.
My younger one loved Fox in Sox by Dr Suess. It has a lot to do with the rythme of the words. Fox in Sox was fun to read and fun to listen to.
By new mom
May 5, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this
I have one other bit of advice for children of all ages, based on my childhood and when I taught in an elementary school.
Try not to give your children the idea that a certain book, or style of book, is ‘too old’ for them, or ‘too hard’. That only puts limits on them, and gives them the idea that reading can be beyond them. I remember, when I was young, reading every book I could find in our house, from Nancy Drews in 2nd grade to Gone With The Wind in 4th grade (yes the entire book!), Agatha Christies in 4th grade, and Animal Farm, Lord of the Flies, and The Pearl in 5th grade. Most teachers would place these last books on a middle or high school level, but I didn’t know that—and read them anyway!
When I taught 5th grade, I put out a collection of books I I bought at a dollar store that were classics, like The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Winkle, etc., that would be considered at least on a middle school level. I didn’t dare tell my students, I just let them read whatever they wanted. They loved them, and would ask me about words or ideas that they didn’t understand. (btw I told the parents up front and none objected. I think they were happy their kids were reading!)
I’m sure there are some out there who think it’s bad to expose some of these ‘classics’ to children before they are ready, but I ask you—wouldn’t you rather them read about various subjects then be exposed to them via TV, video games, internet, etc.? Because they will…especially if they aren’t reading!
By SuzyQ
May 5, 2008 2:28 PM | Link to this
This is off topic, but I could really use some advice.
A few months ago I met a divorced father of 3 (I am a divorced mother of 1) and our children have all met each other.
My daughter gets along with two of the children, but his youngest and my daughter fight constantly.
I’ve fallen in love with this man and he with me. I love his children like my own and I try to keep the peace. His youngest can sometimes be too much to handle, but she’s 4, so I chalk it up to her age. All of his children fight and get into arguements, so you would think this wouldn’t be new to him. But he has stated to me that our daughters fighting makes him stressed. I’m used to kids bickering as I have 3 older brothers and 1 younger sister, so I just deal with it and move on.
I’ve told my daughter that she’s older and she needs to just walk away when she feels like his daughter isn’t playing fair, but that doesn’t seem to be working.
I want to make this relationship work and I haven’t loved anyone this deeply in many years, but I don’t want our children to be unhappy.
Any advice??
By SuzyQ
May 5, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this
I have to add, though, that my daughter isn’t completely innocent either…she does like to have things her own way and can be very stubborn. I’ve been correcting her as well.
By JJ
May 5, 2008 2:50 PM | Link to this
SuzieQ - my guess is this is the child’s way of communicating the “new” things in her life. Mom and Dad are divorced, and now there is a new family and woman with whom she is interacting. She doesn’t understand.
OR it could be caused by your child, as an only child, now facing three “brothers & sisters” and a new “daddy”. How old is your daughter, you didn’t say…….
Its difficult to blend a family, more so if there is only one child of one family, who is used to getting all the attention, and now has to share that attention with others, who are basically strangers to her…….Where it was just you and your child, now suddenly, there’s four more faces in the crowd. She may be having a hard time not being number 1 in your world…….
Does that make any sense?
By SuzyQ
May 5, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this
JJ,
My daughter is 6. And everything you said makes perfect sense.
I’m trying to make it an easy adjustment for everyone. I’m just hoping in time that it will get better and they will eventually get through this, but I don’t want to be selfish and be caught up in this wonderful feeling I have for this man and ignore the problems with our two daughters.
She gets along great with the other two children (one is 10 and the other is 7), so I’m not sure why it’s those two that seem to bicker all the time.
By Stacey
May 5, 2008 3:20 PM | Link to this
I’ve read to my son since before he was born. I was on bed rest for several weeks before he was born and was home alone while my husband worked. I love to read and sometimes I would read whatever I was reading aloud and sometimes I would read one of the children’s books my sister-in-law had given me. While he was in the NICU I talked to him and read to him the entire time I held him (even while feeding) and his neonatologist said that probably contributed to him being able to go home two weeks earlier than expected. I had little plastic padded books for the bathtub and board books for him to “read” to himself. As soon as he was able to talk we took turns “reading” each other bedtime stories. Half the time his book was upside down and he always pointed at pictures and not words but at least he was reading. I loved it when he could complete the sentence for me because we had read the book so many time. Sometimes I would tease him and say something totally off the wall (that he knew wasn’t in the story) and he would say “No, Mommy he said….”
By SuzyQ
May 5, 2008 3:27 PM | Link to this
Also, I have to add that I’ve been divorced 5 years and he is the first man I’ve dated that my daughter has met. I didn’t want to confuse her with men I went out with a couple of times or didn’t a future with.
So, I can see where this is causing confusion and stress. We’ve been dating about 8 months and my daughter and by boyfriend met for the first time about 3 months ago and then we introduced the children about 2 weeks after that.
So this is a first for me as well.
By SuzyQ
May 5, 2008 3:41 PM | Link to this
Sorry about the above typos…I’m on cold medicine today!
:o)
By FCM
May 5, 2008 5:36 PM | Link to this
@Maggie,
Do not fight him….let him sit in the floor and play while you read anything out loud to him. Read the receipe your preparing, the stock report, how to tile the bathroom…..literally anything.
When mine got to where they were at least trying to feed themselves snacks, I would sit next to the high chair and read a book…appropriate for them…I also had lots of books on hand (hardboard and squishies) for them to chew on…yes chew on…I wanted them to get used to seeing books in their world, and experience them in their way (eating!)….
Now both of my children are in grade school. Both of them love reading and love being read too.
Another good time to read is when they are in the tub splashing…..eventually it will all come together for you and him.
Happy reading!
By snobby fake mom
May 6, 2008 6:53 AM | Link to this
One musn’t hesitate to start a sentence with “one musn’t” if one shall attempt to appear clever and bright. If thats not the case then one must stay away from one’s keyboard. Afterall, it is one’s hopes only of a google or two from those old college rival sorority girls that refused one’s LUG advances.
By motherjanegoose
May 6, 2008 6:55 AM | Link to this
THIS IS MY SPEAKING TOPIC and great comments Theresa! If every parent would practice the 3 B’s each night ( I like four B’s) this would help so much:
BATH BOOK ( BRUSH YOUR TEETH) BEDTIME ( routine and set time)
Thanks for sharing on this topic. Children who are exposed to language ( someone talks to them a LOT) are more prepared to read! Singing silly songs is great too!
By Lucia
May 6, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this
My eldest daughter started reading at 4 1/2. I read to her from about the age of 6 months on, always age-appropriate books (I used to work in a bookstore & used those resources.)The expert’s advice is excellent. I would like to add that if you’re not a reader, your child probably won’t be either (until the kids are teenagers & then they’ll do it just to spite you). You have to be enthusiastic & diligent about reading to children. Make friends with bookstore employees and librarians. Fill your house & car with books. Turn off the tv, put a child in your lap and READ.
By motherjanegoose
May 6, 2008 3:13 PM | Link to this
Right on Lucia…my son was also reading at 4 and THIS IS THE TRUTH knew every letter of the alphabet at 2. It does sound impossible but we played games with him all the time ( no pressure just fun and he loved it)and he could walk up to a license plate on a car and name all the letters and numbers. I read this from Jim Trelease…I am paraphrasing… just as if you cannot catch a cold from someone who is not sick…you cannot catch the love of reading from parents who do not read… TURN OFF THE TV, CELLPHONES AND DVDS! The formative years are important in catching the love of reading! We have great libraries here in the metro…your child should have that on his/her top 5 places to visit! Remind yourself to visit the library with your kids!