Reading success part 2

"This will never be a civilized country until we expend more money for books than we do for chewing gum."
         
                                           ~Elbert Hubbard

You need to start the reading process very early in your child's life...like in the womb!  You can read books to your babe even when they are still cozy and tucked up in your tummy.  Now we fast forward to your child's 0-2 years.  We are landing in that time span today and I will coach you how to nurture reading that age-appropriate.

Vocabulary:
Talk constantly to your baby.  When you read to your baby point to the pictures and names of the things you see.  Ask your baby lots of questions.  Speak in your first language.

Books to expand vocabulary:

*Babies by Ross Asquith
*Babies on the Go by Linda Ashman
*Counting Kisses by Karen Katz

Print Motivation:
Make book sharing a special cuddle time.  Talk to your child in an excited, positive voice when books are the subject.

Try these books with flaps or colourful pictures:

*Cows in the Kitchen by June Crebbin
*I Kissed the Baby by Mary Murphy
*You and Me, Baby by Lynn Reiser

Narrative Skills:

Talk to your baby about what you are doing throughout the entire day.  Name things (real objects and pictures in books) non-stop.  Read favourite books again and again.

Try these books with a simple storyline and patterns:

*Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers
*This is the Farmer by Nancy Tafur
*What Do You Want?  by Lars Klinting

Phonological Awareness:

Read nursery rhymes and emphasize the rhyming words.  Sing songs with repeated phrases.  Share bouncing rhymes and finger plays.

Try these books:

*Baby Goes Beep by Rebecca O'Connell
*Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
*Time for Bed by Mem Fox

Print Awareness:

Let your baby hold the book as you read together.  Point to the words and pictures in the book.  Encourage your baby to play with wooden block letters.

Try these books with pictures that flow from left to right across the pages.

*Freight Train by Donald Crews
*I Went Walking by Sue Williams
*Peek-a-Moo! by Maria Torres Cimarusti

Letter Knowledge:

Sing the alphabet song with your baby.  Read alphabet books (and counting books) together.  Place magnetic letters and make whole words on the fridge but even better yet, print whole words on flashcards and hang them up.  Whole words are the way to go and the best in my opinion rather than isolated letters, trust me.  Use familiar words to your child like their name, mom, dad, home, dog, pet's   name, etc., words that are in their world of reference.

Try these books:  

* Alphababies by Kim Golding
* Flora McDonnell's ABS by Flora McDonnell
*Peek -a-Little Boo by Sheree Fitch and Laura Watson


If you put these ideas into place, at this age, it will give your child a wonderful head-start in the world of reading.

Read on and read always!  Have an awesome weekend and see you back here on Monday.