March 2018 early literacy
A new video designed to show parents easy tips for reading with their babies is now available from First Things First. The two-minute video is available to view.
The video offers ways parents can help their baby develop language skills from the day they are born. When a young child hears words and language, the brain develops important connections needed to learn how to read.Reading with a baby is also a great opportunity to build a strong and healthy relationship between parent and child.
Every year, throughout March, classrooms across the nation host reading events for elementary school children. But early literacy starts way before a child reaches a classroom. It begins before babies can talk and continues as they become toddlers and preschoolers. In fact, studies have linked the number of words children know at ages 3 and 4 to their reading comprehension levels in third and fourth grade. Reading daily with children starting at birth helps them learn new words.
First Things First offers families help to grow early language and literacy skills starting from birth. In addition to the video, there’s an early literacy page on the FTF website. Here parents and families can find ways to build a child’s brain, lists of favorite age-appropriate books and more ways to make reading 20 minutes a day a family habit.
Another great resource to help families instill a love of reading in their children can be found through Read On Arizona, an FTF partners that engages communities in supporting early literacy for kids birth to 8 years old.
Read On Arizona offers resources and tools such as Smart Talk, which encourages parents to have quality back-and-forth conversations with your baby. Though babies can’t talk, they can still communicate with caring adults in their lives – through eye contact, facial expressions, smiles and crying.
For babies, a quality conversation starts with talking to your baby during everyday moments, such as meal time, baths and diaper changes to name a few.
Locally, First Things First funds the Apache Junction Fun Van that partners with local public libraries throughout Pinal County to host parenting education classes that include an early literacy component. The Raising a Reader part of this program is designed to foster a love of books by developing a habit of reading with your child. It also teaches parents reading strategies to expand their child’s thinking, promoting language and literacy development. For more information about this no-cost program for parents and caregivers of children, birth to age five, call 480-474-8559 or email funvan@ajcity.net.
It is said that children are made readers in the laps of their parents. Families can help foster early language and literacy skills in many ways, beginning by reading everyday with babies from the day they are born.
About First Things First – First Things First is a voter-created, statewide organization that funds early education and health programs to help kids be successful once they enter kindergarten. Decisions about how those funds are spent are made by local councils staffed by community volunteers. To learn more, visit FirstThingsFirst.org.