Tips for Helping Pre-Readers

Tips for Pre-Readers

Things you can do with your child:

IMPORTANT: Read to your child every night, and talk about the story and the pictures in the book. This can do a lot to increase your child's vocabulary and attention span.
Have your child re-tell stories back to you.
Play the "repeat game". You say a sentence and have the child repeat the sentence to you. As they get more proficient add more details!
Encourage "pretend" reading. This is a normal stage of reading known as "pre-reading."
Wordless picture books encourage children to make up stories to fit the pictures and help develop creativity and language skills.
Encourage your child to "read" bill-boards, license plates, traffic signs, and logos on stores and packages.
Encourage "pretend" writing or scribbling as this is a normal writing stage (pre-writing).
Encourage your child to make up stories and listen to them. You may wish to write some of them down as your child dictates. He or she may want to illustrate them, also.
Encourage your child, but don't force him or her to do any of the above activities. Children do what they are ready to do, and if they sense that the adults around them are supportive, then they will develop fully at their own, individual pace without being rushed by an artificial time-table.

Good luck and most of all - HAVE FUN!