PRESCHOOLERS

• Listen to stories and to conversations.
• Talk to adults and to other children in complex sentences.
• Master many rules of grammar.
• Make up silly words and stories.
• Use language to think, to share ideas and feelings, and to learn new things.
• Enjoy the same books over and over and look at new books.
• Retell familiar stories to themselves and others.
• Think about what the characters in a book might feel or do.
• Draw and write with pencils, crayons, and markers.
• See print around them and watch adults read and write.
• Imitate adult writing by scribbling.
Copy shapes and some letters.

Gina bounces out of bed and hurries to the kitchen. She opens the cabinet, takes out a box of cereal, then puts it back. She takes out another box and says, "Grandpa, this is my cereal. It has a big P and lots of stars."
Grandpa says, "That's good thinking." Gina points to a letter on the box, "That's a P." She traces the letter in the air and says, "P as in Peter. Peter's name starts with a P. It's on his cubby."
Grandpa makes an offer. "Today, we can have our regular story time and then write together. I need to write a letter to a friend. You can write, too."
Gina puts her empty bowl in the sink and runs to find her mother. "Mom, I'm gonna read and write with Grandpa." Her mother says, "That sounds like fun. When I take you to family child care, I'll tell Ms. Jenkins that you like to write. You can write at her house and at home."

She knows that letters (the P) and pictures (the stars) have meaning.
She knows there is a P on her cereal box and at the beginning of Peter's name.
She knows that people take turns when talking to each other. Gina's family helps her learn about language:
They have a regular story time every day.
Grandpa encourages her thinking, so Gina continues exploring the letters on the box.
Grandpa offers to write with Gina.
Mom talks to Ms. Jenkins, so that Gina can write at family child care and at home.

Source: America Reads Challenge: Ready*Set*Read for Families

At this stage, your child uses her ever-increasing language skills to become a "big talker" and develops an awareness of the power of the written word. Parents and caregivers of preschoolers can help them develop into readers and writers by playing with letters and their sounds, promoting dramatic play using characters from books, and reading lots of books together.

Through his own daily experiences, your preschooler learns more and more about the way things work in the world and his place in it. At the same time, he is able to use his ever-increasing vocabulary and language skills to share his observations, ideas, and imaginary worlds with other children and adults. Young children can be entertaining storytellers, engaging conversational partners, and frustrating negotiators. During the preschool years, your child will become aware that the world is filled with letters and may begin to recognize familiar words.

You can help your preschooler become an eager reader and writer through simple conversations and reading together. It helps to plan regular times to read with your young child and talk together daily about things that interest him. You can turn everyday experiences such as waiting in lines, doing errands, and riding the bus into conversation starters. By talking about your child's ideas, observations, and feelings, you prepare your young child for reading and writing about the world.

For More Information, visit: PBS.org

Source: PBS.org