Early Literacy Workshop & Story Time

Welcome

• The focus of this workshop is about early literacy and what you can do to help your child become aware and comfortable with language and books.

What is Early Literacy?

• Early Literacy is what children know about reading and writing before they can actually read or write.

• Children learn these skills beginning from infancy. In other words, from the moment they are born and you say “hello,” they are already learning language.

Why is Early Literacy important?

• Children who are exposed to books early on in life have better language learning skills than those who wait.

• The more they are read to, the easier it will be for them to become active readers who are excited and comfortable with words and language.

Six Early Literacy Skills

• Print Motivation• Phonological Awareness• Vocabulary• Narrative Skills• Print Awareness• Letter Knowledge

Early Literacy Story Time

I can make my hands goClap, clap, clapClap, clap, clapClap, clap, clap

I can make my hands go Clap, clap, clap

They’re a part of me

I can make my feet go stomp, stomp, stomp…I can make my fingers go wiggle, wiggle, wiggle…

I can make my head go nod, nod, nod…I can make my eyes go blink, blink, blink…

They’re a part of Me

Baby at the Farmby Karen Katz

Print Motivation

A child’s interest in and enjoyment of books.

Why is this skill important?

• Print Motivation focuses on the enjoyment of books by stimulating fun and curiosity. By encouraging children to play and investigate books, they will want to read more. It is incredibly important that this experience is joyful; otherwise, it creates a negative experience, which is not what we want.

What Parents Can Do

• Instead of trying to cram a twenty-minute story time into one sitting, which can be difficult if you have a fussy child, spread it out throughout the day. In fact, the more books we share with children, the more they will become interested in books.

Open, Shut Them

Open, shut themOpen, shut themGive a little clap, clap, clapOpen, shut themOpen, shut themPut them in your lap, lap, lap

Creep them, crawl themCreep them, crawl themRight up to your chin, chin, chinOpen your mouth wideBut do not let them in

Open, shut them

Open, shut themGive a little clap, clap, clapOpen, shut themOpen, shut themPut them in your lap, lap, lap

Creep them, crawl themCreep them, crawl themRight up to your cheek, cheek, cheekCover up your little eyesAnd through your fingers peekPeek-a-boo!

Nursery Rhymes

Phonological Awareness

The ability to hear and play with smaller sounds and words.

Why is this skill important?

• Phonological Awareness is a fancy term for a child’s ability to hear small sounds that make up words. Children are more perceptive when hearing these sounds than adults. Breaking down words into sounds will aid in their ability to read words, which is essential in learning how to read.

What Parents Can Do• When reading to your child, exaggerate and

stress syllables. Let’s try this: If you have a baby, or toddler, point to yourself and say “Mommy” or “Daddy.” If your child can speak, have them imitate you. Seriously, have fun with this!!

• Another way to introduce this skill is by singing and reciting rhymes. These tools will help your child to learn that words are made up of smaller parts and the music helps to breakdown words. Let’s all sing The Muffin Man.

The Muffin Man

Do you know the muffin manThe muffin man, the muffin manDo you know the muffin manWho lives in Drury Lane

Do you know the muffin manThe muffin man, the muffin manDo you know the muffin manWho lives in Drury Lane

Yes I know the muffin manThe muffin man, the muffin manYes I know the muffin manWho lives in Drury Lane*Can you hum it? Hum the tune

Do you know the muffin manThe muffin man, the muffin manDo you know the muffin manWho lives in Drury Lane

Baby Animals

Vocabulary

A child’s interest in and enjoyment of books.

Why is this skill important?

• It is not enough for children to just have a wide range of vocabulary. They also need to know the meaning of those words. By encouraging children to put smaller sounds into words, we are teaching them that sounds make up words that can be found in books and in conversation.

What Parents Can Do

• Whether it’s shopping at the grocery store or driving around, talking is a very useful tool in building vocabulary.

• Speak with as many words as you can! If you are introducing words that your child is not familiar with, explain or show an example.

I Went Walkingby Sue Williams

Print Awareness

Noticing print, knowing how to handle a book, and how to follow the written word on a page.

Why is this skill important?

• By showing children how to hold a book and how reading begins from left to write and top to bottom, they are more willing to explore and play with books. It also aids in concentration and perseverance.

What Parents Can Do

• When reading to children, use your finger to underline sentences or point to words. If you have a baby, then point to words when you are at home or out and about. For example, when you are stopped at a stop sign, point and say “stop.”

• When reading to your child, show them how to hold a book. If they would rather play with the book, that is ok too.

Where is Thumbkin?Where is thumbkin, where is thumbkin?Here I am, here I amHow are you today sir?Very well, I thank youRunaway, runaway

Where is pointer, where is pointer?Here I am, here I amHow are you today sir?Very well, I thank youRunaway, runaway

Where is tall man, where is tall man?Here I am, here I amHow are you today sir?Very well, I thank youRunaway, runaway

Where is ring man, where is ring man?

Here I am, here I amHow are you today sir?Very well, I thank youRunaway, runaway

Where is baby, where is baby?Here I am, here I amHow are you today sir?Very well, I thank youRunaway, runaway

Where are all the men, where are all the men?Here we are, here we areHow are you today sirs?Very well, we thank youRunaway, Runaway

Narrative Skills

The ability to describe things and events and to tell stories.

Why is this skill important?

• Narrative Skills help children to understand what they read through Dialogic Reading.

• Dialogic Reading means to explain to children what is happening in the story through descriptions.

• Take this skill further by asking your child questions as they tell the story because it will allow them to put their knowledge and creativity to work.

• If your child would rather tell the story in their own words, don’t be afraid to encourage them.

What Parents Can Do• If you have a baby, encourage baby babble.• If your child can talk, ask questions that will

illicit some sort of response, which can consist of one or two words or a few sentences. Get creative by making your own stories about Iggy the iPhone or Tommy the Toaster. By showing children how to tell stories, we are not only helping them with reading, but encouraging their imagination and sense of humor.

B-I-N-G-OThere was a farmer had a dogAnd Bingo was his name-oB-I-N-G-OB-I-N-G-OB-I-N-G-OAnd Bingo was his name-o

There was a farmer had a dogAnd Bingo was his name-o(Clap)-I-N-G-O(Clap)-I-N-G-O(Clap)-I-N-G-OAnd Bingo was his name-o

There was a famer had a dogAnd Bingo was his name-o(Clap)-(Clap)-N-G-O(Clap)-(Clap)-N-G-O(Clap)-(Clap)-N-G-OAnd Bingo was his name-o

There was a farmer had a dog And Bingo was his name-o

(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-G-O(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-G-O(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-G-OAnd Bingo was his name-o

There was a farmer had a dogAnd Bingo was his name-o(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-O(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-O(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-O

There was a farmer had a dogAnd Bingo was his name-o(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)And Bingo was his name-o

Letter Knowledge

Learning that each letter has a name, knowing they have sounds, and recognizing them

everywhere.

Why is this skill important?

• By naming letters, children will understand that these letters actually have names. By showing children that letters are not only different from one another, but they all have different sounds when used in words.

What Parents Can Do• A great way to practice this skill is to purchase

a set of magnetic letters that can be placed on the fridge. If not, alphabet books are the easiest way to go.

• Show your children what letters look like by writing out their name and showing that each letter has a specific sound that makes up their name. This particular skill can be quite fun if incorporated into an activity such as a coloring sheet or crafts that demonstrate that particular letter.

Sharing Books With Your Child

• Make reading enjoyable. If the you and/or your child is having a bad day, or not in the mood to read, try another time.

• Early Literacy learning is not meant to be about drilling! • Share books as often as possible, even during hectic days, because it

provides parents and children with the opportunity to spend quality time together, which is essential in child development.

• Also, by reading more often, children will be more willing to listen, or read, which prepares them for the demands of school.

• Age appropriateness is essential when it comes to books and language learning. As much as we like to think our babies are capable of understanding everything we say and do, they are just starting out and need to be taught and encouraged to progress (i.e., they need to roll over and crawl before they walk). The same rules apply to toddlers and preschoolers; however, once they have developed their skills, they need to be encouraged to move on rather than remain stagnant.

Parenting Resources

• We have a variety of books and resources in the Children’s Room and the Adult Nonfiction section located on the Second Floor.

• We also have a parenting weblinks collection that will provide more information about brain development and early learning:

www.alhambralibrary.org/kids/parent.html

2013 Children’s Summer Reading Program

• Monday, June 3 - Sunday, July 28.

• Sign up to read 100 minutes each week with your child and earn prizes including a free book upon completion of the program!

• We have special family events on Monday afternoons at 3:30 PM in Reese Hall.

• A great way to spend time together this summer!

Thank you for coming!