Parents Are Children’s First
and Most Important Teachers
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.
Why Early Literacy Is Important >>
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. MWFB 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.
What Is Early Literacy |
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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.
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Enjoying Books with Your Children |
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Children who have books in their lives and adults who read to them regularly are more likely to be successful in school and in life. Here are a few ways you can encourage your child’s love of reading and books.
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Teaching Reading-Readiness Skills |
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The Arizona Department of Education has identified six areas of reading-readiness skills children need to master before starting kindergarten: print awareness, book handling, phonological awareness, letter knowledge, vocabulary development, and comprehension. Fostering the development of key pre-reading skills is critical to kindergarten readiness. MWFB provides information to help families gain a better understanding of these skills as well as activities to help parents prepare their children to learn to read.
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Book M-A-G-I-C (Making a Giant Impact on Children) |
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The Arizona Department of Education has identified six areas of reading-readiness skills children need to master before starting kindergarten: print awareness, book handling, phonological awareness, letter knowledge, vocabulary development, and comprehension. Fostering the development of key pre-reading skills is critical to kindergarten readiness. MWFB provides information to help families gain a better understanding of these skills as well as activities to help parents prepare their children to learn to read.
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Donations Appreciated MAKE WAY FOR BOOKS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. As such, all gifts are tax-deductible, as allowed by law. |
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