LANGUAGE:
A PROJECT OF:
PRE-K / AGES 3-5
PRACTICE FOUR LITERACY SKILLS BEFORE STARTING SCH0OL
Children must learn the names and sounds of the ABCs. Once they understand the connection between letters and sounds, they can begin to combine letters to form words. This is the very foundation of reading!
3
TEACH KIDS TO WRITE THEIR NAME
TRY THESE ACTIVITIES
Sing the alphabet song together each morning when you’re getting your child dressed. Then have them sing it while pointing at each letter of the alphabet. Play rhyming games, listen to rhyming songs, sing rhyming songs in your home language. Rhyming is an important pre-literacy skill.
The most meaningful letters to your child are the ones they see in their own name. Write their name everywhere you can, such as on their drink cups and backpacks, or put the letters of their name on the wall of their bedroom. It’s important for them to see the letters of their name written often.
Stretch your child’s vocabulary by expanding on what they say. Then add a comment or idea onto what your child say. Repeat what your child says, then add a little more description to extend type of words your child is exposed to.
For example: If your child says, “Look at my hands, Dad!”
You say: “I see you have purple jelly on of your fingers." (Clarify and expand) "Wow, that looks sticky! (Extend)”
POINT OUT THE LETTERS
Point to individual letters you see on cereal boxes, signs at the store or while driving and ask them to tell you what they are. Then describe the letter shape: “That’s the letter ‘p’, it has a big line and a little curve.”
Captions and Languages
To watch videos with subtitles: Click the settings icon in the lower righthand corner, next click “subtitles,” and then “English.”
To see subtitles in another language, after selecting English, next click “auto-translate” and then select the language of your choice.
OAKLAND RESOURCES
TANDEM PARTNERS IN EARLY LEARNING
A Bay Area nonprofit working at the intersection of social justice and early childhood education. Explore Tandem’s growing collection of virtual storytime videos by category. Interactive videos feature high-quality children’s books, and each video focuses on developing specific early learning skills based on the California Preschool Learning Foundations.
MILESTONES FOR 3 YEAR OLDS
Can begin to recite favorite books by memory
MILESTONES FOR 4 YEAR OLDS
Enjoy both being read to and beginning to read to self or looking at the pictures and telling the story.
MILESTONES FOR 5 YEAR OLDS
Start segmenting a word out into its individual sounds
Practice inventive & phonetic spelling with unfamiliar words, (e.g. ”Kat” for “Cat” or “Curls” for “Colors”)
