Ages 5 to 8: Literacy
In the early elementary stage, literacy involves perfecting basic skills as well as learning the dynamics of reading, the mechanics of writing, and how to effectively communicate in everyday life.
Children at this stage should have a lot of books to read at their specific reading levels. Giving a child a book that is too hard doesn't help him learn to read, and it can make him associate reading with great difficulty or even failure.
From ages 5 to 8, children should also gain awareness and use of writing. Tell them "If you can read it, you can write it," and "If you can write it you can read it." Children should begin to see the connection between reading and writing, and the two skills should grow together.
Children should leave this stage with an increasing sense of literacy. By the time they leave third grade, children should have the ability to break down words phonetically, read proficiently, and write competently.
Tips for Reading to Young School-Age Children
(From the National Education Association Read for America Campaign)
Even though your child has started school, he still needs you to read to him at home! Your child will do better in school, and your family will enjoy the time spent together.
- Keep reading to your child even when he can read. Read books that are too difficult or long for him to read alone.
- Try reading books with chapters and talk about what is happening in the story. Encourage your child to make predictions about what will happen next, and connect characters or events to those in other books and stories.
- Talk with your child about reading preferences that are beginning to develop. Ask whether she likes adventure stories, mysteries, science fiction, animal stories, or stories about other children. Encourage her to explain the reasons for preferences.
- Talk with your child about favorite authors and help him find additional books by those authors.
- Take turns reading a story with your child. Don't interrupt to correct mistakes that do not change the meaning.
- Talk about the meaning of new words and ideas introduced in books. Help your child think of examples of new concepts.
- Talk with your child about stories using the notions of the beginning, middle, and end of the story to organize thinking and discussion.
- Ask your child to tell why a character might have taken a specific action. Ask for information from the story to support her answer.
- Enjoy yourself and have fun. The most important thing you can do to help your child become a successful reader is communicate that reading is valuable and enjoyable.