Lay the Groundwork for Reading, with Concepts About Print (continued)

How to do it? Well for one, by modeling. That means one-on-one reading time with your kindergartener, with lots of showing and telling. According to Rogers, “The main thing is that parents not just read to their children but interact with them while they are reading. Give support when needed and just be aware that children need to learn how print operates.”

Another great way to sharpen your child’s awareness of print concepts? Pick up a pencil! “Writing is a very powerful way to learn these concepts, because writing makes the concepts more concrete. Having the child draw a picture and then either dictating a story to the parent who writes it, or getting help from the parent to write the message-- all of this is very helpful," Rogers says, even if the only thing the child can contribute is one letter. 

Comfort with these concepts is one of the first hurdles in your child’s reading career, so it’s important to tackle these skills early. In fact, Rogers notes that knowing these skills can be a predictor of reading success. “Research does show that print awareness is connected to reading achievement. Children who figure out how print operates are able to read more than children who are still sorting out directionality,” she says. Your child’s kindergarten teacher is certain to re-teach concepts about print, but giving your child a head start will increase her confidence as a reader.