Developing reading readiness skills

A preliminary step in learning to read and write is developing an awareness of the essential elements of the reading and writing process. Reading readiness trains the learner's eyes, ears, hands, and mind to perform the skills necessary for learning to read and write.

How you approach the development of reading readiness skills depends upon the instructional program you are using. The information about the various instructional programs will give you recommendations to consider.

• Teach the learners that print has meaning.

  See:	concepts and conventions of print

• Teach learners how to hold a book properly.
• Develop their awareness of language sounds.
• Teach the learners to progress from left to right, or whatever direction the writing progresses.
• Train the learners to hold chalk and pencils correctly.
• Teach them how to make prewriting marks.
• Teach the learners how to see slight differences in shapes and pictures.
• Teach some simple math concepts.

• Task module: Developing reading readiness skills, by Delle P. Matthews
• In task module: Preparing people to read and write, by Delle P. Matthews, Anne Klaassens (contributor), and Leah B. Walter (contributor)
• In task module: Implementing a literacy program, by Carole P. Spaeth (compiler)
• In modular book: Implement a literacy program, by Carole P. Spaeth (compiler) and Leah B. Walter (compiler)
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 22 October 1999

© 1999 SIL International