Literacy

English at KPPS

Speaking and Listening

Children learn the sounds of language by listening to people talk. As children learn to talk with others, they ask questions, learn the meanings of words, and find out interesting and important things about the world around them. Many experiences of listening and talking prepare children to read.

Here are some activities to try:

• Ask your children questions that require more than a "yes" or "no" answer. Some questions that help them to talk more openly are "Why do you think that happened?" "What do we do next?" "What would happen if we did it this way?" "What can we do about that?" "How can we make this better?"
• Set aside a special time each day to read aloud to your children.
• Read stories and informational books aloud for as long as you can read and your children can listen. If your children become restless, lay the book aside and come back to it at another time.
• Read stories to your children and have them tell the stories back to you.
• Draw pictures with your children and take turns telling stories about the pictures.
• Pick a topic of interest to your children and have them learn new things about it. Ask them to tell you and other family members what they have learned.
• Watch educational television programs with your children and talk with them about those programs.