Early literacy skills refer to the abilities and knowledge that children need to develop in order to become successful readers and writers. These skills include things like phonological awareness, vocabulary, and comprehension. Developing early literacy skills is crucial for children, as it lays the foundation for their future academic success. In this article, we will discuss some of the most important early literacy skills and the ways in which parents and caregivers can help their children build early literacy and language skills
6 Skills of Early Literacy:
1) Phonological awareness
what
It is the ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds in words. This includes skills like rhyming, segmenting, and blending sounds.
Importance:
Phonological awareness is an important early literacy skill because it is closely linked to reading and writing. Children who have strong phonological awareness skills are more likely to be successful readers and writers.
How to help your kid build:
Parents and caregivers can help children develop phonological awareness by playing games that involve word play, such as rhyming or sound matching.
2) Print Motivation
What
A child with print motivation loves being read to, playing with books, and pretending to write.
Importance:
It’s important for kids to be interested in and enjoy books—we call this “print motivation.”
How to help your kid build:
Trips to the library are fun, motivational, and free! You can exchange books with other parents who have children the same age as yours. And you can encourage print motivation in your child by making reading a special shared time between the two of you. Make sure your child has easy access to books, and let them see you enjoying reading. Talk to your child about how we use reading and/or writing almost every minute of the day.
3) Vocabulary
What:
It is their ability to understand and use words in their everyday lives. A strong vocabulary will help kids be successful in school and in their future careers.
Importance:
Vocabulary skills are one of the most important skills that kids need to develop. Children who have a strong vocabulary are better able to understand what they read and express themselves through writing.
How to help your kid build:
Parents and caregivers can help children develop their vocabulary by reading to them regularly and discussing the words they come across. They can also help children learn new words by encouraging them to ask questions and providing opportunities for them to use new words in context.
4) Narrative Skills
What:
It is the ability to understand and make meaning from what is read.
Importance:
Children who have strong comprehension skills are better able to understand the information they read and respond to it in appropriate ways.
How to help your kid build:
Parents and caregivers can help children develop comprehension skills by asking questions while reading to them, providing opportunities for children to talk about what they have read, and encouraging children to make connections between what they read and their own experiences.
5) Print Awareness
What:
It is the understanding that written words convey meaning and that the print conveys a message; it also includes the ability to follow the print from left to right, and top to bottom, as well as understanding how to handle books.
Importance:
Before children can read words, they need to be aware of them. They need to understand how books work—the front cover, what’s upside down, which page to start on, and how to look from left to right.
When kids are comfortable with books, from knowing how to open a book to understanding what those black squiggles are, they can concentrate on starting to read the words.
How to help your kid build:
Parents and caregivers can help children develop print awareness by pointing out print in the environment and by reading to children regularly. They can also help children understand the conventions of print by showing them how to hold a book and how to turn the pages.
6) Letter knowledge
What:
It is understood that letters represent the sounds of spoken language. It also includes the ability to identify and name letters.
Importance:
Letter knowledge is an important early literacy skill because it is closely linked to reading and writing.
How to help your kid to build:
Parents and caregivers can help children develop letter knowledge by providing opportunities for children to see and interact with letters, such as through alphabet books and puzzles. They can also help children to learn the names and sounds of letters by playing games and by singing alphabet songs.
It’s worth noting that early literacy skills are not only developed through reading, Writing, and wordplay but also through play. As children learn through play, it is important to provide opportunities for children to engage in creative and imaginative play, as this can help to develop their language and thinking skills.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, early literacy skills are the foundation for children’s future academic success. Parents and caregivers play a crucial role in helping children develop these skills. By providing opportunities for children to develop phonological awareness, vocabulary, comprehension, print awareness, and letter knowledge, parents and caregivers can give children the best possible chance to become successful readers and writers. And also, providing opportunities for children to engage in creative and imaginative play can help them develop their language and thinking skills. It is important to remember that every child develops at their own pace, and it’s important not to compare them with others but to provide them with the support and encouragement they need to reach their full potential.
