Pictures in books

cat.jpgAside: As your baby begins to talk, respond by elaborating on what he says. For example, if your baby points to a picture and says "cat" respond by saying, "Yes, that's a little cat with orange fur." Talking about the picture even if your baby doesn't understand everything also helps build your child's vocabulary. For example, you could say, "Look, the two kittens are playing with the string. They are having fun together."Submitted by Cindy Christin, Bozeman (MT) Public Library

Board books

Early Literacy Aside--Example: Board books are a great investment for babies! They allow babies to handle books freely, and even chew them. Good first choices are board books with pictures of everyday things. Try pointing to the pictures and then to the real objects around you.This helps babies get the idea that pictures and words are symbols for real things, a basic concept for later reading.Share a board book of your choice.

Submitted by Cindy Christin, Bozeman (MT) Public Library

Print Awareness

Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Print is like magic. When you read aloud with your children, they gradually become aware that the squiggles on the page mean something. We call this "print awareness." It helps to run your finger under the words as you read. Children will also begin to notice print in the world around them. It helps to point out signs as you drive or shop. Submitted by Cindy Christin, Bozeman (MT) Public Library

Talking while reading

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Talking with your children while reading, encouraging them to make comments and ask questions is one way to share a book that develops your child's understanding of the book. Make reading with your child a postive experience by allowing your child to make comments and ask questions. Try to focus all your attention on your child for that time.During the storytime, demonstrate these techniques with one or more of your books. Point out what you are doing. Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Talking with your children and giving them time to respond is supervaluable, even in a conversation consisting entirely of baby babble. This helps your children develop conversation skills. Remember that it can take young children from 5 to 12 seconds to process a question and formulate a response, so it's really important to gie them that extra time to express themselves.

Submitted by Cindy Christin, Bozeman (MT) Public Library and Tracey J., Sacramento (CA) Public Library

Nursery Rhymes

Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Rhymes help teach "phonological awareness," an awareness of the sounds that make up words. You may have noticed that your child enjoys the way a nursery rhyme sounds even if it doesn't make much sense to him. When you introduce a new rhyme or song, repeat it at least twice. Three times is even better. And be sure to keep repeating the old, familiar rhymes too. Submitted by Cindy Christin, Bozeman (MT) Public Library

Dialogic Reading

Demonstrate aspects of dialogic reading* by asking open-ended questions during your sharing of a book.Book Introduction: With this next book we are going to focus on what we call "dialogic" or "interactive reading." Read a book. Come back to a picture and ask a question that cannot be answered with yes or now. Early Literacy Aside--Example:  This technique of sharing a book helps develop their narrative skills, their ability to describe things and experiences. Early Litearcy Aside--Empower: Try dialogic or interactive reading at home with your child. Simply ask questions about what you've read. You can say, Guess what will happen next or relate the story to your child's real experience. Try to ask questions that cannot be answered with yes or no, or just by pointing to the pictures. Having the children talk about the book helps the develop narrative skills.  Also, when the child gives a one-word response, you might expand on what she said, adding description or more information.

Submitted by Cindy Christin, Bozeman (MT) Public Library * This webpage of the Talker Script from the first edition of Every Child Ready to Read @ your library initiative of the American Library Association gives more background on dialogic reading: http://www.earlylit.net/readytoread/indexE.shtml#scripts  Scroll down under Scripts and click on Talkers. You can also use the Dialogic Reading Handout shown on this webpage.

Songs

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Singing songs is  one good way for children to become aware of the different sounds that make up words. We call this phonological awareness. Singng helps them get a feel for the rhythm of language and how words are divided into syllables because there is a different note for each syllable. This will help them sound out words when they learn to read. Submitted by Cindy Christin, Bozeman (MT) Public Library

What Shall We Do With the Boo-Hoo Baby? by Cressida Cowell

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: I will be having the children hear and make animal sounds. This is one of the ways to develop phonological awareness, hearing the smaller sounds in words. This is the beginning step to later sounding out words when they learn to read.Book Introduction: Our next book is What Shall We Do with teh Boo-Hoo Baby? by Cressida Cowell. All join in together with the animal sounds and the crying baby! [If you want you can practice the animal sounds and the boo-hoo for crying before starting the book.] Read the book. Early Literacy Aside--Example: Good job everyone. Parents, letting the children hear and make the sounds helps them later hear the sounds in words. Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Feel free to check out these books I have displayed which have animal and other sounds, which will help with phonological awareness.

Submitted by Cindy Thompson, Roanoke City (VA) Public Library

Mortimer by Robert Munsch

Mortimer's song is repeated:Clang, clang, rattle-bing-bang Gonna make my noise all day. Clang, clang, rattle-bing-bang Gonna make my noise all day. You pass out musical instruments and have them play to the rhythm of the song. Early Literaacy Aside--Example: As the children are saying the words of the sounds, they are developing phonological awareness. Having them play to the rhythm of the words also helps develop this skill which will later help them sound out words when they learn to read.

Submitted by Barbara Slough, Glasgow Library, Rockbridge Regional Library (VA)

Pig's Picnic by Keiko Kasza

Read book Pig's Picnic by Keiko Kasza. Retell the story using props. Have the children retell the story as you maneuver the props.Early Literacy Aside--Example: Using props is one way to help your child remember the story as they try to retell it. When they can retell a story, it helps their understanding.

At the end of storytime hold up the handout of Pig's Picnic (below) and demonstrate how you have cut out the pieces so that the children can retell the story. Early Literacy Aside--Empower: You can strength your children's narrative skills, the ability to tell stories, by taking home this storytime handout, having your children cut out the pictures and retell the story. As they retell the story they may add ideas of their own! pigs-picnic-hand-out.doc Submitted by Laura Mikowski, Hillsboro (OR) Public Libraries

Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: When we talk about a story after reading it, we are helping our children remember what we have read. Having your children retell the story takes it a step further to help them develop narrative skills, which will later help them understand what they read.Read the book Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant. Point out the different sounds and animals out at night. Describe the pictures. Ask children questions about what they think about at nighttime. How do you feel? What do you hear? Early Literacy Aside--Example: As I read the book you saw how I asked some questions to make the book more personal for the children and to help them relate it to their own experiences. This is one way to help children understand the book better. Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Talking about experiences and what your child is thinking about can enhance the book. Books often expose our children to different ideas and to things they may not otherwise see. This interactive experience of discussing what your child thinks about nighttime is also a way to develop your child's narrative skills and their background knowledge, what they know abour the world. Both will help them understand what they read when they learn to read.

Submitted by Sharon Lindsay, Rockbridge Branch, Bath County (VA) Public Library

Whose House Is This? by Charles Reasoner

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: There are many ways we can help children enjoy books as we share books together. Children who have positive experiences around books and reading are more likely to stick with learning to read even when it is difficult. I'll be pointing out some ways to share books to make it enjoyable. As you read the book have children repeat the phrase, "I do. I'm a . . . " with each animal. Early Literacy Aside--Example: Having the children participate by guessing the animals and responding when the animal appears helps them enjoy the book. This helps support their print motivation.

Submitted by Tara Smith, Roanoke County (VA) Public Library

Children's names or any words

Early Literacy Aside:--Explain: Separating a word into sound parts is called segmentation. Playing with words this way with your children now will help your children later when they learn to break words into syllables to decode words. Clap childen's names or choose words with different numbers of syllables. Early Literacy Aside--Example: Clapping or tapping helps children hear parts of words which will make it easier for them to sound out words when they learn to read. [for 3 - 5's you can use rhythm sticks]

Submitted by Di Gagnier, Roanoke County (VA) Public Library

Piggy and Dad Go Fishing by David Martin

Read the book Piggy and Dad Go Fishing by David Martin. Retell the story using props.Early Literacy Aside--Empower: You encourage dramatic play when you give your children opporutnities to retell stories with your children using things around the house. Having your children retell stories helps them remember the story and also to understand how stories work, with a beginning, a middle and an end. This will help them later in school when they will write their own stories and to understand stories they will read.

Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

Read the book The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle. Encourage adults and children to make the sounds of the animals.Early Literacy Aside--Example: Having your child hear and make the sounds of the animals in this story is one enjoyable way to help develop phonological awareness, to eventually be able to hear the smaller sounds in words. Submitted by Nancy Gattoni, Roanoke County (VA) Public Library

Harry and the Terrible Whatzit by Dick Gackenbach

Early Literacy Aside--Explain: Today we are going to focus on vocabulary, one of the early literacy skills. Vocabulary is knowing the meanings of words, of things, concepts, feelings and ideas.Book Introduction: Talk about the word cellar. What is a cellar? Explain the word. Read the book Harry and the Terrible Whatzit by Dick Gackenbach. Early Literacy Aside--Example:  Go ahead and use words that are unfamiliar to your child. Don't replace words in books that they may not understand, but explain them. This will build their vocabulary. Early Literacy Aside--Empower: Don't forget when reading to your children at home, don't replace words, but explain them. This helps build their vocabulary and will make it easier for your children to later understand what they read. Submitted by Janet Boucher, Blue Ridge (VA) Regional Library

Pete's a Pizza by William Steig

Early Literacy Aside--Example: I am going to read one of my favorite children's books. I love reading this book; it is a lot of fun. When reading with your children, choose books YOU enjoy. Your child picks up on your feelings and understands the enjoyment of books and reading. This supports print motivation, a love of books.Read the book Pete's a Pizza by William Steig putting motions to the words.

Submitted by Linda White, Washington County (VA) Public Library

Pete's a Pizza by William Steig

Aside: Now I am going to read to you this wonderful book Pete's a Pizza by William Steig. I especially like this story because it introduces narrative skills, which is the ability to retell a story.Read the story. Aside: You can use things from all around the house to tell a story, just as they used things from around the house in this story. Having your child retell stories helps to develop your child's own narrative skills for later life while at the same time increaseing his memory and imagination and love for books. Submitted by Miss Yolanda, Washington County (VA) Public Library

Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester

As you read the book, ask the children to identify the animals in the book. Talk about the landscape in the pictures--where in the world might this take place? Use words the children may not know (arctic, icebergs, ice floes, glaciers, etc.). Also, talk about Tacky the Penguin's personality, his uniqueness and originality, explaining words children may not know. For an activity, have children and adults draw and color a penguin however they want.Early Literacy Aside--Empower: We used lots of interesting words today with Tacky the Penquin, some were not even in the book. This helps develop your child's vocabulary. On your way home, talk about being creative and ways your child is unique, using some of the interesting words we used today and adding your own. Through talking and talking about your children's drawings there are many opportunities to expand your child's vocabulary.

Submitted by David Banker, Radford (VA) Public Library