To
help encourage literacy, ask your young child to draw a picture and tell you
what the picture is about. Match pictures with written words. Write words or
help your child cut out a word from a magazine.
Encourage
writing skills, even scribbling, at an early age.
To
help develop strong language skills, practice clapping out the sounds in words,
saying letters, and sounding out words.
Use
songs, poems, games, rhymes, repetition, and patterns to help develop your
child’s language skills.
Teach
your child new words, explaining the meaning in simple terms. Over time, this
really helps.
Simple
conversation also helps encourage literacy in children, so talk to your child
about the colors, sounds, and images in your home and surroundings.
Talk
to your child about daily activities — for example, name the clothing as you
dress your child, or locations as you drive.
Ask
your child questions and encourage your child to ask you questions.
Speak
in whole sentences and use a variety of words when talking to your child.
Encourage
your children to tell you about experiences and ideas that are important to
them. It’s fun and educational.
