2020 Videos

Ready to Read Tips 'N Tricks (Part 1, 3:50)

More Ready to Read Tips 'N Tricks (Part 2, 3:45 )

Nine More Tips 'N Tricks, (Part 3, 4:15)

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Early Literacy:  See It Yourself (pdf)

Today's Story Times:  Dialogic Reading (pdf)

ELL Story Times

Dads and Early Literacy (2 pg pdf)

"I Love it When You Read to Me":  Mr. B's Story Time Song (pdf)

Activities for Story Times (7 pg pdf)

Kids Love Multicultural Picture Books (8 pg pdf)

Great Rhyming Picture Books (2 pg pdf)

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Letter Knowledge




Being able to see that letters are different from each other and can be written in different ways helps children get ready to read. Before learning to read, children should learn that each letter has a name and relates to specific sounds.

Try to find books with words in the title that children can relate to - kids love bears - read them bear books. Be sure to point at the word "bear" and tell them the beginning letter is "B" and say the sound that this letter makes.

There are many fun, creative alphabet books - remember, we are not concerned with teaching the A, B, Cs right now. We want to start by letting children to see the differences between letters and sounds. This starts by talking about shapes - circles, triangles, straight lines - the shapes that we use to draw letters. Talk about how the shapes of letters are alike and how they are different.

Get different senses involved - hand them balls for round objects, blocks for squares and rectangles. Find triangular-shaped toys to handle. Point out the straight edge on objects. Cookies are great for this - you can make (or buy) them in different shapes and children can enjoy eating the shapes too!

When they are ready, start reinforcing the names of the letters by talking about the first letter in the things they are interested in. Moving blocks with letters or magnetic letters is fun. Children will also enjoy making letter shapes with play dough.

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