How to choose a children’s book

Books about familiar objects, people, and events are reassuring to young children. Books can also excite them about new ideas and places. Some books help children build confidence as they join in with a repeated rhyme. Others jump-start the imagination with tales about talking animals or a grandmother who flies. By sharing different kinds of books with children, they can enjoy different kinds of reading experiences.

Books:

• Type of Book: ABC and counting books
  Features: Fun and colorful illustrations of the alphabet and numbers
  Example Title: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault

• Type of Book: Wordless picture books
  Features: A story told through pictures and few or no words
  Example Title: Good Dog, Carl by Alexandra Day

• Type of Book: Concept books
  Features: Pictures or photos of familiar objects or ideas such as colors, shapes, opposites, or sizes
  Example Title: Color Dance by Ann Jones

• Type of Book: Pattern books
  Features: Repeating text and predictable plots that let children join in
  Example Title: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr.

• Type of Book: Information books
  Features: Realistic pictures or photographs that introduce facts about a specific topic
  Example Title: Bugs by Nancy W. Parker and Joan R. Wright

• Type of Book: Traditional rhymes and stories
  Features: Nursery rhymes, fairy tales, fables, and folk tales from various cultures
  Example Title: The Little Red Hen by Byron Barton

• Type of Book: Picture books
  Features: Words and pictures that tell a story about realistic or imaginary characters and events
  Example Title: Abulea by Arthur Dorros

• Type of Book: Poetry
  Features: One or several beautifully illustrated poems for young children
  Example Title: Honey, I Love by Eloise Greenfield

• Type of Book: Easy-to-read books
  Features: Limited vocabulary, rhyme, and repetition for beginning readers
  Example Title: The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss
  Taken from Reading is Fundamental www.rif.org

How to make reading to your child more meaningful
The first time you read a story to a child read it for fun and enjoyment. As you re-read the story you can add questions and conversations that add value to the experience. Discuss each part of the book with your child.

Title: go over the title of a new book and have the child make predictions about what might happen in the story. Have your child repeat the title back to you after you say it

Author: ask your child what an author does. If you have other books by the same author ask if you child can remember the names of the other books

Illustrator: ask what an illustrator does, have your child compare the style of this book to a different books. Example both of the these books have puppies, but how are the puppies different

Vocabulary: go over new words in the story that your child does not know. The next time you read the book go back and review those words

Characters: review the story later and ask what the different characters did in the story. Ask your child to make up another story about the same characters

Concepts from SEED’s literacy training by Kate Horst

Back to the top.

What is emergent literacy?

Gaining literacy-the ability to read and write with ease-is an essential part of language learning. To achieve literacy, children must first acquire many basic concepts and strategies, including an awareness of the sounds that make up language, an ability to rhyme syllables and words, and a familiarity with print materials. By playing language games with your children (asking them to make rhymes or to think of words that begin with the same sound), you can help them get ready to read.

One of the most important things you can do to foster children's literacy skills is to read aloud to them every day and to encourage other caregivers and teachers to do the same. Chat about the story as you read together, bearing in mind that the talk surrounding the story is as important as the story. As children turn the pages, ask them to point to things that interest them. When they pretend to read, children are making progress toward reading.

Provide young children with plenty of opportunities to experiment with writing, including scribbling and drawing, but resist the impulse to pressure them to write correctly. You can also write down children's own stories and help them dictate and decorate letters to other children or adults. You can also encourage kids to add written materials, such as signs, phone books, or menus, to their pretend play.

Stages of written emergent literacy

• Scribble writing: first attempts at writing often with no distinct grip on the pencil or crayon
• Picture writing: drawing pictures to tell a story
• Pretend writing: once the child can draw individual letters it is the seemingly random combination of letters
• Labeling: the combination of pictures with some writing
• Sound spelling: I lv grndpa- I love grandpa
• Book spelling: the first simple written sentences- I go to school

Concepts from SEEDS literacy training by Kate Horst

Back to the top.

The importance of a literacy rich home environment

We know that children need three skills to become good readers. Good readers have an understanding of how the alphabet works, an awareness that reading is about meaning, and sufficient fluency in reading. Some children acquire these skills quickly, Other children need to be taught about the relationship among letters, that letters represent small sounds in words, and about the relationship of specific letters to specific sounds, Often, parents, caregivers and teachers need to help children understand that the reason they read is to uncover a message. The most effective way to support children's ability to provide literacy-rich environments.

What is a literacy-rich environment?
In a literacy-rich environment, adults ensure that children engage in one-to-one conversations about everyday life-about people, events and activities that children find interesting. Environments include daily reading, talking, experimentation with reading materials, book talk (characters, action and plot), and dramatic play. In this environment there are many opportunities for children to see how print is used for many purposes. Print and language become a functional part of daily play and practice.

What are the characteristics of a print rich-literacy environment?

• Children are surrounded by oral language, books and print. Various reading and writing materials are available for children and adults.
• Adults share their ideas and feelings with children and encourage them to express themselves.
• Children see adults reading for pleasure and a function of their daily routine and activities.
• Adults value children's emergent reading and writing experiences. They accept children's efforts without correcting mistakes or providing direct instruction.
• Children learn about the world through talking and reading, refining these skills as children develop.
• Children's knowledge of language is built on their own exploratory skills to interesting topics that is supported by skilled teachers and a well thought out curriculum.

Back to the top.

Talking and listening with infants

Even before they understand words, babies love to hear language and respond by cooing, babbling, and making sounds that gradually resemble adult speech. During the first two years of life, children understand much more than they can say. You can help children learn new words by noticing the things that catch their attention, naming them, and talking about them. Repeatedly using newly learned words will reinforce them and build your child's vocabulary. By using the same words in different ways ("You have a face. And the clock has a face, too"), or finding different ways to say the same thing ("It's big, it's huge, it's gigantic") you can help children build a richer, more expressive vocabulary as they grow.

From PBS.org the whole child

Back to the top.

Talking and listening with toddlers

Most toddlers understand more words than they can say and more complex grammar than they can produce, although the lag between the two is not always that large. When you talk to your child try to match his understanding of words rather than his ability to produce them. He may call a cat a 'ca', but you should always call it a 'cat'. Try to be consistent in the words you use: if you use the word 'sippy' for his sipppy cup, don't confuse him by also using the word 'cup'.

When you talk to your toddler, let him watch your face if possible. Because we tend to look towards the object of our conversation, your child will be able to see what your conversation is about by following your gaze. If he cannot see your face, point or use your hands to direct his gaze.

Learning to take turns in conversation is a vital part of learning to talk. Turn-taking is best developed in the simple conversations we have with our children and in the games we play with them. 'Peek-a-boo', tickling games and simple action games like 'This is the way the ladies ride' all have an element of turn-taking. As he waits to be tickled he will almost certainly communicate to you with giggles, squirms or looks that he knows what is coming next. Let him know you understand.

By the time they are two most children are beginning to put words together. The words they use to form these early sentences tend to be the names of objects (car, biscuit), people (me, Mummy), verbs (have, want, go) or words they use like verbs (doit allgone). So for example he might say, 'Car go' or 'Me doit'.

You can confirm that you understand the structure of his sentences by expanding them and clarify the meaning, for example, 'The car is going' or 'You can do it'. As the language he produces becomes more complex so should our expansion of it. So 'Night, night. Teddy go sleep now' becomes 'Teddy is going to sleep now. Night, night, Teddy'.

Small children can only hold a very small amount of information 'in mind' so you need to match the grammar you use with your child's capabilities, stretching him without loosing him. Remember that a child under four has a very short memory span. Keep sentences short and simple. It also helps if use active rather than passive language. So 'The dog bit the man' rather than 'The man was bitten by the dog'.

• Walk around the house or garden naming the things you see.
• Stretch your child's language by reading him stories with slightly more complex language than he is able to use.
• Poetry, rhyme and rhythm help young children to hear the little sounds that make up words and encourage them to take pleasure in the sounds of language.
• Sit down with your child and discuss your day. What have you done and where did you go? What will you do tomorrow?

• Always make sure that your child has all his developmental checks and if you suspect hearing or developmental problems ask for further tests.
• If your child has not produced a word (and especially if he does not seem to understand any words) by the time he is 15 months old, speak to your doctor or the public health department.

Based on the work of Dorothy Einon from the University of London

Back to the top.

Talking and listening with pre-schoolers

Give your preschooler your full attention. Even a quick but focused connection may fill your child's need for communication. If she says "Play with me," and you are not available, you might explain why or say, "I had a hard day at work today. I need three minutes to change. Then I can play with you." Preschoolers can understand your feelings - to a point - and will appreciate your honesty.

Be aware of your tone. Because preschoolers are new to sentence-making themselves, they may have a heightened awareness of your tone and body language.

Reflect your child's unspoken emotions. This helps put your child's feelings into words. If she didn't get a turn at the playground, you might say, "You wanted to play with the ball next, didn't you?" or "Boy are you mad!"

Enlist your preschooler's help in figuring out a problem. For example, you might say, "Did something in that movie scare you?" If your child doesn't answer, you might follow up by saying, "Could it have been the look on that character's face?" Help your preschooler develop emotional awareness. Even if there is misbehavior - you can talk about it together. Most preschoolers can understand a sentence like "Sometimes, I get mad too. It helps me to go into another room and take some deep breaths."

Offer limited choices. Preschoolers gain a sense of control by making their own decisions. You might say, "Do you want to get dressed before or after breakfast today?"

Don't end your sentence with "OK?" unless you are ready for your child to say "No." Asking your child if an activity is OK can lead to a lengthy discussion and even a power struggle.

Grant a preschooler's wish in fantasy. If your child expresses sadness that a toy has to be shared, you might say, "Would you like it if you had the toy all to yourself? What would you do with it?" By expressing a wish and talking it through, even if it can't be granted, a child begins to calm down.

Create safe opportunities for preschoolers to express their BIG feelings. For example, if your child is extremely angry, instead of saying, "Stop yelling," you might say, "Go in the bathroom and scream as loud as you can for one minute."

Don't over-explain. Simple explanations may be more effective than long discussions. If your preschooler is having a tantrum, holding her close - or just staying nearby - may mean more than any words you can say.

From PBS.org the whole child

Back to the top.