Ready to Read! Program
Ready to Read! Program, led by a trained SLP, targets children ages 4 to 5 who will be getting ready to go to Kindergarten. Research shows that children who enter kindergarten with strong pre-reading skills are more likely to become strong readers and students. Ready to Read! incorporates evidence based practices to develop the skills that are especially important for young children to be ready to learn to read. These skills are divided into three areas: print knowledge, emergent writing, and linguistic awareness.
Print knowledge refers to a child’s understanding of printed letters, words, and how a book works. Some example of print knowledge skills:
- Understanding that print and pictures are different
- Understanding that print has a variety of functions
- Understanding book rules(i.e. We read from left to right)
- Understanding print components
- Naming letters
Emergent writing refers to a child creating and using print in a meaningful way. Some examples of emergent writing skills:
- Scribbling
- Drawing
- Copying
- Printing letters
- Printing name
Linguistic awareness refers to a child’s understanding how words and language work. Some examples of linguistic awareness skills:
- Active listening
- Vocabulary
- Rhyming words
- Segmenting sentences
- Segmenting words
- Phonemic awareness
Each Ready to Read! session is comprised of the following components:
Reading Aloud
Reading aloud to children reinforces their understanding of print, provides opportunities for them to see letters /words, hear the sounds that the letters make, and helps develop vocabulary and comprehension skills.
Print Concepts
Print concepts are introduced and strategies are modeled for children to use as they learn about print through reading and writing.
Letter and Sound Knowledge
Children will learn the names and sounds of letters by working with a cluster of letters. Letter clusters are created by assessing children’s recognition of upper- and lowercase letters.
Oral Language, Listening, Vocabulary, and Concept Development
Children will practice active listening and engage in activities to develop and enhance vocabulary skills and story concept skills.
Phonological Awareness
Children will have opportunities to hear, focus on, think about, recognize and manipulate the phonemes (sounds) of spoken works.
Emergent Writing
For children to become successful writers, they must have opportunities to write. Children will have opportunities to scribble, draw, write letter-like formations, strings of letters, and then words.
Parents will be provided with strategies and information on how to promote early literacy skills on a daily basis. Ready to Read! groups typically run during the summer months. If you are interested in signing your child up for a group, please call our office at 870-9591.