Ready for reading

Important skills

There are six important skills that your child will need to learn to read. Children can begin to develop these skills from birth.

Print motivation: interest and enjoyment in books.
Vocabulary: beginning to know the names of things.
Print awareness: noticing words on a page and understanding how to follow them, knowing how to hold and treat a book.
Letter knowledge: recognising and naming letters, recognising letter sounds.
Phonological awareness: awareness of sounds and rhymes and beginning to understand the link between written and spoken words.
Narrative skills: describing things and events, learning how to tell stories.

Position yourself so both you and the children are comfortable.
Allow your listeners, especially younger children, a few minutes to settle down and get ready to hear the story.
Mood is an important factor in listening. Create anticipation.
Use plenty of expression and change your tone of voice to fit the dialogue.
Adjust your pace to fit the story. During a suspenseful part, slow down, draw your words out and bring your listeners to the edge of their seats!
Be enthusiastic. Read stories that you enjoy yourself – your dislike will show if you read books that you don’t like.