5 Essential skills for reading readiness

To make it an easy process, I have compiled a list of top 5 critical skills that promote reading readiness. But before we go on to the skills let’s see what is reading readiness.

What Is Reading Readiness?

Reading readiness is a stage where your child shows signs of being ready to learn how to read. It is the point where your child is gearing up to become a reader from being a non-reader. There are various factors that determine reading readiness in children. But at the same time there are basic developmental stages that help in predetermining whether your child is ready to learn how to read or not.

What Are the Competence Determining Reading Readiness?

There are four basic developmental skills that ensures that your child is ready to learn how to read are as follows-

1. Child is socially developed: When we say socially developed what we mean is that the child knows how to interact socially with other children before he or she learns to read. The child should know how to cooperate with others, when and how to take turns and most importantly develop a self control before learning to read
2. Emotional development of child is important: Emotional development of a child reflects his or her understanding of the world around him or her and how well they adjust to it. It is important, as emotional development will help in relating to the characters of the book
3. Child should be physically fit: Well that goes without saying, if the child is not physically fit he or she will not be able to sit properly to read and that sitting properly is one of the most important conditions of reading. Other than that a child should also have a fine motor skill so that he or she can turn page deftly
4. Cognitive development plays a crucial part: Cognitive development plays an important in ensuring that your child is ready to read, as it is through cognitive development the child will be able to visually differentiate between the letters like L and T or a and o. However, apart from the above four mentioned competences, there are other essential signs that will guide you to know whether your child is ready to learn how to read


How Will I Know My Child Is Ready To Read?

As your baby grows into a toddler, he or she will show some signs that will let you know that your child is ready to learn how to read. Here are some basic signs that will help you know.
5. Print Awareness: This process involves teaching your child and making them understand the print on a page, the words mentioned and their literal meanings. You can start by teaching them how to hold a book, read the text and pronounce new words. Discuss how the sequence of reading is from up to down, left to right, and front to back. Another way to encourage your child to read out names is by pointing names printed on daily life elements and objects like food cans, ingredients container in kitchen, newspaper headline, road signs, store signs, etc.
6. Letter Knowledge: Letter knowledge is nothing but the ability to recognize all the letters of the alphabet, in lowercase form as well as capital and know the sound and names of each. Start by introducing them to the alphabet world. Help them identify individual written letters and words to hone their letter and word awareness
7. Phonological Awareness: Phonological Awareness is the ability to hear and identify the various sounds in spoken words. Reading out a number of nursery rhymes and poems can benefits your child in honing their phonetic skills. You can also encourage your child to anticipate rhyme as you read a book or poem together. Another way to do so is by using rhythmic body movements like clapping of hands, using hand and face gestures and stamping of feet. You can also incorporate games like ‘I Spy’ to help them identify new words. For example, "I Spy with my little eye an object that starts with /a/."
8. Listening comprehension: Listening comprehension is the ability to understand the meaning of words pronounced and relate it to objects or situations in some way or the other. Children with good listening skills tend to have a wider range of vocabulary and can easily comprehend written text and heard words in their daily life. To develop this skill, parents need to read aloud to their children. Reading books that your child particularly takes interest in can be an added advantage. You can bond with your child with picture books and illustrations to ignite their imagination and encourage them into believing that reading is a fun process.
9. Motivation to read: Motivating your child is nothing but encouraging them to read books. You can experience a variety of genres in the fiction and non-fiction segment to start with. When reading out a chapter to your child, ask open ended questions like, "Why do you think the characters felt happy?" "Why did the boy go outside?" and so on and so forth. Adapt storytelling and imaginative character role-play. Letting your child to hone their reading skills is one of the most important aspects of growing up. Help them to build their vocabulary, organize fun group reading sessions, activities and loads of play time to encourage them to read.

   Is My Child Ready To Read?

   Every child has his or her own threshold of learning. So don’t worry, if your child doesn’t show much of these above-mentioned skills. If you are child is going to kindergarten, then the teachers will take care that your child is ready to learn how to read through phonic awareness and letters recognition.

   Did you like the blog on reading readiness? Did you know about reading readiness earlier? How are you preparing your child to read? Do share your views and the feedback in the comments section below.