6 Skills children need to become Readers

Print Motivation - When visiting the library, ask the children's librarian for suggestions on books to share with your little one. Points to objects, talk about what you see as you read aloud.

Print Awareness - Help your baby connect the printed word to books and stories. Read to your baby often. Model how a book is held, how the pages move from left to right - how much joy can be found in sharing a good book.

Vocabulary - During feeding, changing, or any other time, talk and sing to your little one. Introduce unusual words or animals as you share books. Help your baby's word knowledge grow.

Narrative Skills - From listening to you read or talk about the things around you, babies grow into toddlers who understand stories. When they begin talking in sentences, start asking them questions about books you share. At nineteen months, attend a toddler storytime at your neighborhood library.

Letter Knowledge - As your child starts to notice words and symbols, point out the letters of the alphabet. Help your child recognize their nametag at storytime. Point out letters and words as your shop, drive , cook, and read Register your three year old for Preschool Storytime.

Phonological Awareness - Sing songs, recite nursery rhymes, read poems, and make up silly rhyming words. These all help your child identify sounds which make up words - a big step on the way to becoming a reader.

These are the first edition skills of Every Child Ready to Read® (ECRR 1st Edition )

Every Child Ready to Read® is a project of the Association for Library Service to Children and the Public Library Association, divisions of the American Library Association. www.everychildreadytoread.org