Encouraging Literacy Development in Preschoolers

IEL Resources

• Tip Sheet: Fun at Home with Preschoolers: Getting Ready to Read!
• Tip Sheet: Getting Ready to Read and Write in Child Care
• Tip Sheet: The Gift of Words: Reading and Games
• Tip Sheet: Literacy across the Preschool Curriculum
• Tip Sheet: Out and About with Preschoolers: Literacy Activities
• Tip Sheet: The Power of the Pen: Let Children Choose Writing Centers!
• Tip Sheet: Sharing Books with Your Preschooler
• Tip Sheet: Talk, Listen, and Learn
• Tip Sheet: Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Language and Literacy
• Tip Sheet: Using Predictable Books with Young Children
• Tip Sheet: What’s Next? Predictions at Story Time
• Tip Sheet: Young Authors at Work: Literature Response Journals
• Tip Sheet: Young Authors at Work: Story Dictations
• Video: Connecting with Concepts and Skills
• Video: Mack Reads His Book
• Video: Reading Partners: Sharing the Lead in Storybook Reading

Web Resources

• Get the Most from Any Story While You Read to Your Kids
  This PBS resource has hints for reading and sharing stories with children.
• Dialogic Reading Practices
  This CONNECT resource explains the purpose, use, and potential benefits of dialogic reading practices when working with young children.
• Growing Up to Read
  Parents and preschool teachers are important resources in the child’s acquisition of language and early literacy concepts and skills. The National Academies Press explains what adults can do to help children develop literacy skills.
• Get Ready to Read
  This website includes links to screening tools, skill-building activities, tips for parents, and literacy games and checklists.
  Also in Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Arabic.
• Encourage a Love of Reading
  This webinar series from Teaching Strategies explores how repeated, interactive read-alouds not only promote listening skills, comprehension, and critical thinking, but also present opportunities to guide and support preschool and kindergarten children’s social–emotional development.
• Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL) Practice Guides for Parents
  These practice guides for parents can be used to provide preschoolers with fun and exciting literacy opportunities. Also available in Spanish.