Stages of Literacy a Guide for Parents: 5-6 years

Milestones: -getting better at retelling story from picture book, retellings are more detailed and accurate -can name many letters and numbers -“writing” to communicate a message, may try to sound out words and write corresponding letters -know that a word is a combination of letters -knows letters relate to sounds -pick out rhyming words -beginning to build sight word vocabulary -tries to sound out new words -motivation to read independently What you can do: -practice identifying letters and sounds (play a matching game, sing a song, play with magnetic letters etc) -ask questions while reading (Who, What, Where, Why?) -point to words while you read -encourage them to make predictions about stories -read same stories, rhymes, songs again and again Books to try: Smith, L. (2011). Grandpa Green. New Milford: Roaring Brook Press.  I recommend this book because it lends itself to conversations between children and their parents/ grandparents about their past. I don't think children hear enough stories from their elders about their lives. Both child and parent will enjoy this beautiful book. Parents can ask: The books talks about everything Grandpa is (gardener, father, soldier) have your child think of everything he or she is (artist, son, student etc.) do the same for yourself. Parents can also encourage child to come up with questions to ask their own grandparents about their lives then they could interview them! Murray, L. & Lowery, M. (2011). The gingerbread man loose in the school. New York: G. P. Putnam's An alternative spin on a classic story. Parents can help children compare and contrast the different versions. Parents can ask: How is this different than the other gingerbread man story?                                  Which do you like best? Why? Parents can also ask children to summarize the                                  events of the story.  Children can write their own story about what it would be                                  like to have a gingerbread man loose some where. Mayer, M. (1987). There's an alligator under my bed. New York: Dial Books For Young Readers.  One of my all time favorites from childhood. This book is great for sequencing and it's cliffhanger ending lends itself well to making predictions about what could happen. Parents can: Before reading the book have child predict what might happen .Ask children what you would do if there was an alligator under their bed. Have children create a story continuing the narrative.