As a parent, you are the first and best teacher your child will ever have. One of the most important ways to build a foundation for lifelong learning is to read to your child, beginning at birth. Make Way For Books provides resources to help families read aloud effectively to children and foster critical early literacy skills. In this section, families will find information on what early literacy is, why reading aloud is important, what young children like in books, and ways to share books with infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

Early literacy is all of the skills children develop that help prepare them to one day be able to speak, read, and write. It is not teaching children how to read; it is getting them ready for kindergarten, where they will begin to learn to read. Talking and reading to children are the best ways to encourage this development from a very young age.

What happens in a child’s life between birth and age 5 lays the foundation for learning and for success in school and in life. (Ninety percent of a baby’s brain growth occurs before the age of 5!) Children start on their path to being readers the day they are born. They begin to learn about language from hearing family members speak, laugh, and sing. Children begin to understand written language as adults read aloud to them and they see family members reading books and newspapers for themselves.

Story time is the cornerstone of quality early literacy education. Story time gives effective read-aloud strategies and information on how to select developmentally appropriate books. Participants come away with the tools and skills to incorporate early literacy experiences throughout the day. The workshop discusses early brain development research and why it is vitally important to read aloud to young children.

Engage children in stories through songs, puppets, and other activities. Reading to children can help them develop comprehension skills through interactive stories, music, dramatic play, and art. Additionally, it help with techniques to encourage children to tell and create stories through the use of non-fiction and wordless books.

Fostering the development of pre-reading skills is critical to kindergarten readiness. Make Way For Books focuses on the five emergent literacy skills identified by the Arizona Department of Education’s Early Learning Standards. Educators learn how to integrate literacy and play activities to support children’s development of phonological awareness, concepts of print, alphabet knowledge, book handling skills, and comprehension.

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