Literacy

5 Things to Know or Do:

1. Read!  Reading books every single day is one of the best ways to help children develop early literacy skills. As you read, talk about the pictures and what is happening in the story. Let children see that adults love reading too.
2. Write!  Early writing looks like drawing and scribbles. Provide plenty of paper, crayons, and pencils to help young children explore. Adults can model their own writing with children, by sharing how to make a grocery list or send a birthday card to a friend.
3. Play!  Play helps children put ideas and feelings into words. Give children lots of time to play indoors and outside. Play with young children as much as you can. When adults join in on the play, it helps extend children’s thinking and learning.
4. Talk! Children learn language by listening to people talk. Talk with your child about what you are doing. It may seem silly at first, but telling children about what you are doing helps them put words with objects and activities. While getting dressed to play in the snow, you might say: “I am going to put these big black boots on your feet because it is cold outside”.
5. Sing!  Singing slows down language and helps children hear the sounds that make up words.  Sing with young children any chance you have! Try singing the ABC song, nursery rhymes, familiar songs, or make up your own tune.

 4 Children Read Alouds

1. Encourage reading with Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn 

   (Fairfax County Public Library in English and Spanish) 

   Every Tuesday, Lola and her mother visit their local library to return and check out books, attend story readings, and share a special treat.

2. Encourage writing with Niko Draws a Feeling by Bob Raczka

   (Fairfax County Library in English and Spanish)

   Niko loves to draw his world - the ring-a-ling of the ice cream truck, the warmth of the sun on his face.  

   No one understands the abstract pictures that Niko draws until a new friend sees the thought and feeling within his shapes and forms.

3. Encourage playing with How Do You Wokka-Wokka by Elizabeth Bluemle

   (Fairfax County Library)

   A young boy who likes to “wokka-wokka, shimmy-shake, and shocka-shocka” gathers his neighbors together for a surprise celebration.

4. Encourage talking with A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

   (Fairfax County Library)

   This wordless picture book shows the fun a dog has with her ball, and what happens when it is lost.   Wordless books provide opportunities for literacy-rich conversations by allowing the “reader” to create their own story, in their own words.

3 Sites to Visit

1. Fairfax County Library: Early Literacy
2. NAEYC: Articles for Families on Literacy
3. The Library of Virginia: Day by Day Family Literacy Activity Calendar

 2 Videos to View

1. Early Literacy Skills (Fairfax County Public Library)
2. Babies, Toddlers, and Early Reading (Zero to Three)

 1 Point of Research to Access

1. Family and Community Engagement Research Compendium Scholastic: Early Literacy

Fairfax County Public Schools Early Childhood Links:

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