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Promoting Literacy: 4- to 6-Years-Old
By the age of 5, most children can understand up to 13,000 words, forming sentences containing 5-8 words. As your child approaches Pre-K and kindergarten, pre-reading activities will become a fundamental part of her everyday life. At some point during this stage, she’ll likely begin reading her first words, delighting in the sense of accomplishment that comes with combining letters into words and words into sentences. Even if your child isn’t actively reading yet, her “pretend reading” sessions will sound much more realistic and developed than they were during toddlerhood.
You may also notice that your child begins to incorporate reading and writing by choice in other activities, outside of your designated story sessions. For instance, she may announce her intention to write her own story, combining familiar letters and words with illustrations, or may pick up a newspaper or magazine and pantomime reading it.
Children of this age will start to demonstrate an understanding of some of the following concepts:
• The printed words on a page represent what is being spoken
• Books have a beginning, middle, and an end
• Certain words may sound the same, but are spelled differently and mean different things (such as “bye” and “by”, “sore” and “soar”, and “write” and “right”)
• Text is written and read from left to right
• Spaces designate a separation between words
• Written words have a direct relationship to the pictures or drawings on the page
When choosing books for this age range, focus on themes that are relative to the challenges and milestones your child is experiencing. For instance, if she’s anxious about starting kindergarten, read a story that details a typical first day at school. If your family is facing an imminent move, look for a book that explores the topic of saying goodbye to an old house and settling into a new one.
In today’s high-tech age, most schools are using computers and the Internet to teach key skills, including early literacy. Help your child become familiar with the basic functions of using a mouse and keyboard. Visit EarlyMoments for fun, educational literacy activities the whole family can enjoy together.
While reading will serve as an essential educational tool at school, it should continue to take on a more personal feel at home. In many ways, your kindergartner is an independent, self-sufficient little person, but she still craves a sense of closeness and intimacy with you. In the flurry of activities and distractions that make up the typical busy family’s day-to-day life, setting aside time to share a book with your child is an easy way to slow down and re-connect.
4-6 years old Child Development Tips
• Beginning Letter Sounds
A key skill for children in this age range is mastering letter sounds. While reading with your child, casually point out a letter and ask what words start with that letter. For instance, if you point to an M, you may get answers like Mommy, and a D may be associated with Daddy. (Matching letters to family and friends' names is a great way for children to personalize letters and remember them better.) Be sure to keep it fun. If your child becomes frustrated or displays a lack of interest at any time, return to the story.
• Word Recognition
During this stage, your child will begin to recognize certain whole words—such as her name, the names of her siblings, “Mommy,” and “Daddy”—by sight. Encourage her to commit additional words to memory by pointing them out during the course of a story. For longer words, help her break them out into their individual syllables.
• Early Writing
Most children in Pre-K and kindergarten have begun to write the letters of the alphabet, an important early literacy activity. If your child hasn’t yet mastered writing letters on her own, start by dotting out her name and other familiar words and having her trace them. Spend time writing together—as she sees you forming familiar letters and phrases, she’ll likely try mimicking them.
• Similarities & Differences
Children age 4 and older begin to gain a more solid understanding of how they fit into the world, and specifically of their relationships to others. They also become more aware of the diversity among the children in their class at school. Choosing books that accentuate variations in race, nationality, body type, and family situations helps to reinforce their appreciation of these differences.
• Look It Up
As your child approaches kindergarten age, don’t be surprised if her questions reflect a newfound depth and curiosity. Simple questions about the names of things on the page may give way to more complicated inquiries about the causes and implications of certain events. If you find yourself stumped on a question, don’t panic—look it up online or in a reference book and provide the answer later. |