As a librarian, reading holds a special place in my heart. I use literacy for recreation. Words have the power to teach me new things. With them I can communicate with the world around me.

It is easy to look at literacy and our kids and say (unless you have the special opportunity of being homeschooled), “That is the school district’s responsibility.” But studies have shown that the foundations of literacy begin in the home long before your child ever sets foot in a classroom.

It is my intention to share some pre-reading skills identified through Every Child Ready to Read (ECRR), a parent education initiative often supported through libraries. Additionally you will be given some tips to help build these skills with your children

Reading is essential in education, because at some point in your child’s life, rather than learning to read, they will be reading to learn, and being unable to read will limit their future options.

The first skill ECRR lists what every child should know to become a proficient reader is vocabulary. Hearing, knowing and understanding words will give your child an edge in learning to read. Second is print motivation: finding an interest in letters, words and stories.

Third is print awareness: noticing letters in everyday life and understanding that, in English, we read right to left. This is not intuitive. It is learned. Fourth is narrative skills. The child who understands how to describe things and talk in sentences will have a huge advantage in starting to read.

Fifth comes phonological awareness. This means knowing what letters, or combinations of letters sound like. Sixth is Letter Knowledge: recognizing and distinguishing letters from one another, noting that they make specific sounds.

Some of these skills have overlap, and you may find some overlap in the steps you can take to build these skills in your child. Get ready because learning to read can be fun!

TALK. Even if your child is not talking, start talking to them without using baby speech. When asking questions, give time to think and respond. Ask them to tell stories in books, even if they can’t read the words.

SING. Songs often have repetition and build on beats that help learning.

READ. Read with expression. Let your child see you read and see that reading is fun. Rereading favorites with them will make books feel comfortable and help with memorization skills.

WRITE. Writing reinforces reading. Tracing letters can build coordination. Celebrating your child’s art and asking them to tell you stories builds communication skills.

PLAY. Puzzles and patterns help kids learn to organize. Putting stories into play can help with vocabulary and imagination. Play also makes learning fun.

Maybe you already know all of this and are ahead of the game. If so, that is great. If not, try some of these steps. You don’t have to do everything all the time. Doing a little here and there consistently will help your child as they get ready to face life. And yes, every child learns at their own pace, but there is nothing wrong with trying to give your child every advantage you can.