A. Objectives Related to Overall Literacy Development

1. Encourage children to pay attention.


Description: Adult often invites child to join her in—looking at, listening to, smelling, touching, thinking about something. These interactions are kept positive because-- the adult invites the child rather than demands, gives the child choices, and uses a calm and kind voice, and affirms the child’s participation.

Examples: “Let’s look for the little bear on this page. You found it. Can’t hide from you!!”
“ Here’s your doll baby. Let’s look and see if the little girl in the story has a doll baby.”
“ Would you like to help me find a coupon for juice?”
“ M-M-M, can you smell that cake?”
“ Let’s listen for the sound of the bell.”
“ Feel how rough this bark is! What else should we touch?”

2. Encourage turn-taking.


Description: Sometimes the adult teaches her child by first showing her how to do something, and then giving the child a turn to do it. Adult can also learn from child by this same turn-taking routine.

Examples: “We have to be careful with the tabs in this book. I’ll show you. Watch Mommy do it carefully. Then it will be your turn to do it carefully.”
“ Before we lift the flaps, let’s try to guess what animal is hiding under it. Let’s take turns. First you guess, then I’ll guess.”
“ I love that flower you drew. Can you show me how you did it? Then I’ll try to do it.”

3. Read aloud to children regularly.


Description: Adults have a regular time and place for reading to their children. Children know those routines and can count on being read to then. Of course books can be read at additional times, too. Storytime is enjoyable for adults and children, and isn’t used to reward or punish the child.

Examples: “Remember, when you get your pajamas on, we will have our story.”
“ Choose a story for me to read to you while you soak in the tub.”
“ Let’s take a book or two along to the doctor’s office.”

4. Read various kinds of books to children.


Description: Adult chooses and reads a range of books to child, so that the child experiences many kinds of books. Adult also allows the child to make choices about what books to read and look at together.

Examples: Adult visits library and checks out different kinds of books, such as—storybooks, song books, poem books, alphabet and number books, how-to books, books of facts, nonfiction books about people, animals, places, and events.
Adult chooses books with different kinds of pictures, books of various sizes, books with no words or just a few words, books with many words.
Adult shows child how to use different kinds of books:
   “Let’s try to make this recipe.”
   “Let’s try to write some of the letters in this alphabet book.”
   “Can you find any leaves outside that look like the ones in this book?”

5. Use story words and ideas long after you read them.


Description: Adult helps children understand and appreciate stories by using story words, and repeating memorable words or actions from a story. In this way, children learn new words that they might not learn in their daily experiences. They also learn that we can enjoy stories and they can stay with us even after we have read them.

Examples: “Let’s walk like the Big Billy Goat Gruff—Trip-Trap-Trip-Trap!”
“ Exhausted! You look exhausted, just like the wolf who tried to blow down the brick house.”
“ Isn’t this food delicious!”
“ It IS cold and windy, but let’s be brave like Irene in that storybook.”

6. Use literacy resources in the community.


Description: Adult takes child along to places where she can see people reading and writing, in everyday activities. Adult encourages child to participate as much as possible.

Examples: “Look, the sign says ‘Children’s room Downstairs’.”
“ Can you find the sign that says, Exit?”
“ Let’s find the coupon paper to see what’s on sale today.”
“ You can hold Mommy’s grocery list, and cross of the word when we get that item.”
“ We are looking for room 26, that’s a 2 and a 6. Can you look at the numbers and help me find it?”
“ Let’s read the.. map, bus schedule, menu”
“ Look for the picture/ word that tells us which is the Ladies Room.”

7. Engage in literacy-related play.


Description: Adults play along with children and invite them to include reading, writing and the use of special words into their pretend play.

Examples: “Are you playing school with your dolls? Let’s make some name tags for them to wear.”
“ OK, I’ll pretend to be your patient. But will you put a magazine in the waiting room for me so I can read while I wait for you?”
“ Let’s write a menu for your pretend restaurant.”

B. Objectives Specifically Related to Oral Language Development

1. Talk to children in a pleasant and informative manner.


Description: Adult describes what she and/or child are doing, talks about things that have happened or are going to happen, as if doing a “play by play.” Adult notices what children are doing or interested in, and uses words that will help children learn about and understand the world around them.

Examples: “Mommy has to finish folding the laundry, and then we will look for your game. Would you like to help me match the socks?”
“ That sand pile is getting bigger and bigger. And you are still shoveling more on. I wonder what it is going to be.”
“The party is on Saturday. Saturday comes in three more days: Thursday, Friday, Saturday (while holding up one finger at a time).”

2. Listen attentively and responsively when children make overtures or talk to you.


Description: Adults show interest and respond when children ask questions, show them something, or make declarations (“I love this kind of ice cream.”).

Examples: “I’ll have to remember that you love chocolate.”
“ I love that picture. Can you tell me about it?”
“ Wow! You do great somersaults”
“ Yes, we will see Grammy next Sunday.”

3. Teach children new words.


Description: Adults help children’s vocabularies grow by—pointing out new words, telling children what those words mean, encouraging children to use the words, using them when talking with children, and giving children positive attention when they use the new words themselves. These new words can easily come from children’s everyday experiences. The words teach children names, categories of things, cause and effect, etc.

Examples: “That one is a pony. Ponies are smaller than horses.”
“ I see, you want a cookie. Can you say, ‘cookie’?”
“ You remembered that Aunt Ginny said those kinds of flowers are daisies.”
“Let’s find some sticks that feel dry. Dry sticks will be better fire starters than wet sticks.”
“ The one with three horns is called Triceratops. That’s a hard word to say; can you try it? . . . Let’s see if we can find another triceratops.”

4. Engage children in meaningful and pleasant conversation.


Description: Adult listens to children and talks with them about theirs and the child’s interests and experiences. Adults respond quickly and positively to children’s comments and questions, taking turns in the conversation. Adults encourage children to converse with others.

Examples: “Were all your friends at school today?” (Child answers that Patty was sick) “I bet you missed her. Who did you play with?”
“ I’m making tacos for dinner tonight. What kinds of toppings should we have?” (Child answers that he likes cheese) “Oh yes, I remember that you do. What else should we have? What toppings does your sister like?”
“ When your sister gets home from school, tell her about the dog and why we had to give him a bath.”

5. Engage children in talking about books.


Description: Adult talks with children about the stories and books they read together. The adult helps the child preview, predict, and reflect on what they read.

Examples: “Look at the book cover. What do you think this story is about?”
“ Remember when we went camping? Let’s see if Arthur has as much fun as we did.”
“ Which was your favorite animal in the story?”
“ I loved the part where the Grinch brought back the presents. What part did you like best?”
“ Tell your sister about the silly thing Curious George did! It will make her laugh.”

C. Objectives Specifically Related to Development of Listening Skills

1. Sing songs and say rhymes with children.


Description: Adult helps children enjoy literacy by inserting the singing and chanting of rhymes across the day. Adults and children enjoy reading and remembering rhymes and songs from books as well. They enjoy playing with some of the sounds in the rhymes. They integrate some songs or rhymes into daily routines.

Examples: “Let’s sing a song while you swing on the swing.”
“ He said ‘Silly-billy!’ What else could we say to rhyme with that? How about Silly-Milly? Can you think of another one?”
“ Let’s say ‘This Little Piggy’ while I clip your toe nails.”
“ I’ll sing you a song and tickle you for a minute while you lie down for nap. Which one do you want to hear?”
“ This rainy day reminds me to sing . . ‘The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish’.”

2. Encourage children to listen actively to stories by using questions.


Description: Adult asks questions about the story while reading to the child. Praises the child for being a good listener.
Examples: “What do you think that sound is they hear? Could it be the school bus coming?”
“ What do you think will happen on the next page?”
“ How do you think Snow White feels now?”
“ Where do you think the doggie is hiding? You point. . . . I can tell that you were listening. You heard me say that Spot was sleepy.”
3. Encourage children to listen actively to storybooks by using vocal expression.


Description: Adult adds drama to her voice to help children pay attention and to help them understand what the words mean. This approach is used even in simple books with just one word per page.

Examples: “This is a BIG ball.” “This is a LITTLE ball.”
“ I’ll Huff and I’ll Puff; and I’ll blow-ow-ow your house down!”
“ Gretel said, ‘I'm . . .so . . . afraid!’”

4. Direct children’s ears to particular words and sounds.


Description: Adult asks child to listen for the sound of a letter or for sounds in a word, and then says it again for the child to listen.

Examples: “Stop starts with the s.s.s.s. sound. Listen. . . S-S-S-Stop.”
“ Do any of these words start like your name, Larry? L-L-Lake, O-O-Ocean.. . . Yes, lake starts with l-l-l like your name.”
“ These words both end with the ‘ing’ sound—Listen: cutt-ING, jump-ING, Can you hear that ING sound?”

D. Objectives Specifically Related to Development of Reading Skills

1. Make reading together fun.


Description: Adult and children enjoy reading together because they feel relaxed, laugh and talk, touch the pictures, and sometimes snuggle as they read.

Examples: “That Clifford (the Big Red Dog) gets a lot of silly ideas. I just have to laugh at some of these pictures, don’t you?”
“ Let’s take turns touching our favorite animals on each page.”
“ Close your eyes while I read this poem, and imagine you are outside at night.”

2. Help children understand books by connecting what you read to children’s experiences.


Description: Adult helps children see that events and characters in stories are similar to events and characters the children have experienced.

Examples: “She probably feels like you did when you had a strep throat.”
“ Does your teacher do that, too?”
“ What if our dog grew to be bigger than our house? Where could she sleep?”

3. Reread favorite books.


Description: Adult allows and encourages children to listen to favorite books over and over again, so that children learn to remember the story and some of its words.

Examples: “Sure I’ll read it again. I know that you just LOVE this book.”
“ When I read this again, will you help me—turn the pages, remember some of the words?”
“ How about if you pretend to be the Mommy and read this last part of the story to me?”

4. Direct children’s eyes to meaningful print.


Description: Adult points to a word or letter while telling child what it says, relating it to something familiar. Sometimes when reading a book or sign, adult challenges child to point to a familiar letter or word.

Examples: “Look, this word starts with an A, just like our town, Altoona.”
“ Use this fancy pointer and see if you can find a word that starts with an S, like your name, Susie.”
“ This word says, ‘Danger,’ so we have to keep away from there.”
“ Let’s see how many times the word I is in this poem. You touch them while I count on my fingers.”

5. Encourage children to read to you.


Description: When a child has heard a particular book or has had a sign read to him a few times, the adult asks if the child would like to try reading it. This can be done with just one word, a page of a story, or the whole story. The adult does not expect perfect reading, and praises the child for trying and for any approximations (e.g., retelling part of the story). Adults provide books that children can easily memorize (songbooks, rhyming stories and poems) and pretend to read.

Examples: “Let’s play school. I’ll be the student. Will you read me a story?”
“ Can you finish telling about/reading this story?”
“ Let’s take turns reading the pages of this counting book.”
“ What does this bathroom door say?”

E. Objectives Specifically Related to Development of Writing Skills

1. Provide children with materials for writing, drawing and coloring.


Description: Adults provide crayons, paints, markers, pencils and paper in a setting where children can safely experiment and learn the arm and small motor control needed for writing. The environment is set up so that the child doesn’t have to worry about accidentally writing or painting on a surface that isn’t washable. Children are not encouraged to do representational work (e.g., draw a person or other object), but are encouraged to use the materials and to gain control over their lines.

Examples: “I’ll put some big paper on the table so you can color while Mommy fixes dinner.”
“ I see you making lots of pretty dots with those paints!”
“ Those are beautiful colors you choose.”
“ Let’s take some chalk outside and decorate the sidewalk.”

2. Encourage children to draw, write, color, and make crafts.


Description: Adults provide materials and suggest drawing, writing, coloring and craft-making by—making them fun, giving children reasons for doing them, and sometimes joining children.
The adult does not expect perfect writing, and praises the child for trying and for any approximations (e.g., for scribble writing you could say: “Those marks are all lined up!” and for attempts to print a letter say: “I see you remembered to make a tail on that letter g.”).

Examples: “Let’s draw a gingerbread man and cut him out. Then we can take turns chasing him.”
“ Can you write your name (or initial) on this picture, so I remember that YOU made it?”
“ Why don’t you write some X’s & O’s on Grammy’s card. She will love getting kisses and hugs from you!”
“ I want a spring picture for our refrigerator. I’ll draw some big flowers for us to color.”
“ I’ll draw some fish. Will you color the ocean water all over them? Make some curly marks for waves”

3. Print some words for children to read.


Description: Adult prints some words for the child, choosing words that are important to the child and that the child is likely to recognize again. The adult prints clearly, spelling out the letters as the child watches.

Examples: “I’ll write your name beside this cookie so we remember that THIS one is yours. Charlie: C, H, A, R, L, I, E. What does it say?”
“ I’ll write ‘party’ on this day on the calendar. That’s your special day. Party: p, a, r, t, y. Do you remember what word I wrote?”
“ Let me print ‘milk’ on this paper. “Milk: m, i, l, k. What does it say?” You keep this paper in your pocket when we go on errands, and remind me to buy some milk.”
“ We can put signs on these shelves so we remember to put the toys back where they go. What should we say here? Puzzles? I’ll write puzzles: p, u, z, z, l, e, s. What does this say?”

4. Help children print some letters or words that others can read.


Description: Adult guides children in writing letters or words, giving help in various ways: showing the child how to do it, pointing out an already printed sample, guiding the child’s hand, making dotted or faint letters for the child to write on top of, writing the letters yourself and encouraging the child to write underneath your letters, or describing how to print the word or letter. Be certain that the child receives feedback from his writing.

Examples: “Let’s print your name on this envelope. That way your teacher will know it is yours. You make the I yourself, and I’ll print the others lightly for you to write on top of.”
“ Capital B is a straight line down, with two bumps on the side.”
“ Tell me what you want to say about your picture. I’ll print it, and then you can write the letters under mine. When you are done, show it to your sister so she can read what you wrote.”