Ready to Learn

1. Ready to Learn Presented by Kathleen Lee October 6, 2011 Bishopville Primary School Room 412

2. Workshop Objectives: Participants will be able to: • Identify the stages of language development. • Describe activities to encourage reading and writing. • List different types of books for children. • Select books appropriate for their child’s age.

3. Ice Breaker Activity • Getting to Know One Another

4. When do children learn to read? • Birth? • 1 year? • 2 years? • 3 years? • 4 years? • 5 years?

5. When do children learn to read? • Reading begins at birth and continues as children grow. • Reading is a part of language development. • Children must grasp language to learn to read.

6. What is language? • Language is the way we communicate our thoughts and feelings through symbols. Example: “cat” is a word that we use to symbolize a type of animal.

7. What is language? (continued) Language consists of: form—how we say something or the symbols we use content—what we say or the meaning of the message use—why we say something/the purpose of our message

8. Language Development • What were your child’s first words? • How did your child grow with language? • Language development is an amazing accomplishment for our children.

9. Language Development (continued) Children must: • Learn words and their meanings • Learn how to combine words to make understandable sentences • Learn how to use word and sentences to communicate with other people.

10. Language Development Newborn-6 months: Early Communication First Sounds Vocal 7-12 months: Understanding Patterns Babbling 12-24 months: First Words Single words, “Ma,” “ball” 24 months-3 years : Putting Words Together Two words together Beginning sentences Rapid speech development 3-5 years : Using Language To identify thoughts, emotions To express wants and needs

11. Activities for Engaging Children in Reading and Writing What does this say? @$%%*! #@/+=~*/^*”’*<(+}#*@ • To beginning readers, written words are just a series of symbols that they must learn to interpret.

12. Activities for Engaging Children in Reading and Writing (continued) What are some ways that we use writing and reading both numbers and letters in our daily lives? Can our children help us with these?

13. Families ARE Speech Models Meal time, bedtime, work or play. Families teach their children what to say.

14. Activities for Engaging Children in Reading and Writing What can we do at home to encourage reading and writing activities?

15. Books for Children Children are developing reading and writing skills through all their activities throughout the day. Reading a book is a special activity. There is a strong link between the love of hearing stories and wanting to read is very strong.

16. Read to Your Child • Reading is a talking time— You read, she listens You ask questions, she answers • Reading is a comfort time— Sit close Show your love • Reading is time to learn new words— Identify pictures Explain new words Pick a subject your child likes. Choose a book you like. Share favorite books from your childhood.

17. Summary • Children are learning reading and writing beginning at birth. • Parents/families are their child’s first teacher; teaching them to talk and to listen are the first steps in helping your child to learning to read and write.

18. Teach Your Child to Listen • Make him aware of the sounds around him. • Door slamming • Person coughing • Name sounds as he listens. • This is the sound of a bell. • This is the sound of a whistle. • Play listening games. • Shut your eyes and guess the sounds. • Take a listening walk. • Show him that sounds have meaning. • When the phone rings someone wants to talk. • When the timer goes off dinner is ready.

19. Stimulate Your Child to Talk • Talk to your child. • Name objects in your environment. • Ask him/her questions. • Answer his/her questions (full sentences). • Listen when he/she talks to you. • Expect and reward attempts to verbalize at her level of development. • Make sure he/she understands what you are saying. • Teach him/her to take turns when talking.

20. Please fill out an evaluation. • Look forward to seeing you at our next Family Support Workshop. • Thank you for joining us! • Resources: Success for All Foundation Curiosity Corner Family Support Workshop