When Learning to Read Begins

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Reading is the key to success in school and in later life, outside school. But, learning to read begins long before your child steps into the classroom. Many literacy experts believe that learning to read starts with the earliest conversations between caregivers and their children. As you speak to your child, you are helping her hear and use spoken language, which is the foundation of reading and writing.

Research confirms what caregivers have always known: Activities that parents and children enjoy together—singing songs, acting out stories, playing games, and reciting nursery rhymes—play an important role in language development. When you do these activities, you are helping your child increase her vocabulary, build memory, increase attention span, and develop an awareness of phonics or the sound of words.

Children learn to read step by step. Most are beginning to read by the age of seven, but some may take longer or need extra help. You can help prevent reading difficulties later on by sharing the pleasure of reading with your child right from the start. As First Lady Laura Bush, a former teacher, points out, "As parents, the most important thing we can do is read to our children early and often. When children learn to love books, they learn to love learning."

When you read to your young child, she learns a number of basic lessons: sounds combine to make words; words match with the print in books; and print goes from left to right and top to bottom. The young child also discovers that books are fun; they're full of information and provide imaginary worlds to enter. As you read, talk about what you're reading. You might want to point to a picture and name the objects or ask an older child to identify the pictures himself.

If you need advice on choosing appropriate books, your local librarian is happy to help. You can also find some great suggestions on the Internet. The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory has an extensive online list of "Books We Love," arranged from pre-kindergarten through high school. For example, a preschooler might enjoy Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, a West African tale. The title, along with the author, a brief summary of the story, and a link to the author's Web site, can be found at www.nwrel.org/lld/bookswelove.asp. Enter the grade under "audience," to find the list that matches up with your child's level.

Book suggestions for the baby through first grader can also be found in the U.S. Depart-ment of Education publication Helping Your Child Become a Reader. This useful brochure, which contains a list of typical language accomplishments for different age groups and resources for children with reading problems, is at www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/reader/index.html. A print version can be ordered by writing to ED Pubs, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, Maryland 20794.

This column by Rhonda Barton is provided as a public service by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, a nonprofit institution working with schools and communities in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.