Research consistently shows that children who are exposed to language-rich environments from birth are better prepared to read and write when they enter school. Fostering early literacy skills is a collaborative effort between families and early education professionals. Let’s explore strategies for partnering with families to support early literacy for children from birth to five years old.
- Educate Families on the Importance of Early Literacy: Parents and guardians may not fully understand the critical role that early literacy plays in their child’s overall development. Provide information about the importance of reading to children from a young age, as well as the impact that early literacy skills have on future academic success to motivate them to prioritize literacy activities at home.
- Foster a Culture of Literacy at Home: Encourage families to create a literacy-rich environment at home because it is essential for nurturing a child’s early literacy skills. This can include activities such as reading books together, singing songs, telling stories, and engaging in conversations in families’ home languages [See this previous blog post about supporting home languages: https://blogs.iu.edu/earlyliteracy/2021/09/13/home-language-reading-and-literacy-growth/]. Provide families with resources and guidance on how to integrate these activities into their daily routines so that they become active participants in their child’s literacy development.
- Support Access to High-Quality Books and Resources: Access to books is fundamental for developing early literacy skills. Talk with your program director about how you can support all families to have access to a wide range of diverse high-quality books.
- Empower Families as Their Child’s First Teachers: Empowering families to take an active role in their child’s literacy development reinforces the idea that parents are their child’s first and most important teachers. Encourage parents to engage in activities that promote early literacy, such as reading aloud (Provide families with information on shared reading and literacy practices), storytelling, and playing language games. Check out this previous blog post on Dialogic Reading: https://blogs.iu.edu/earlyliteracy/2021/09/17/all-about-dialogic-reading/
- Create Opportunities for Family Engagement: Building strong partnerships with families requires creating opportunities for meaningful engagement. Ask families what types of interactions, resources, and events are most meaningful and useful to them. Use this information to identify what type (handouts; videos; hands on activities, etc.) of resources and how (email; in-person events; phone call; text) you will share information with them. In-person events can strengthen the bond between home and school while providing families with valuable resources and support. When planning such events, be sure to consider how all families’ scheduling, language, and cultural needs can be accommodated so that everyone is included.
- Offer Support and Guidance: Supporting their child’s early literacy development can feel overwhelming, especially if families face limited access to resources or language barriers. Offer personalized support and guidance to families, including information on child development, literacy milestones, and strategies for supporting literacy at home to help alleviate these challenges.
Partnering with families to support early literacy for children from birth to five years old is a collaborative effort that requires dedication, communication, and support from educators, caregivers, and communities. By fostering a culture of literacy at home, educating families on the importance of early literacy, providing access to high-quality books and resources, empowering families as their child’s first teachers, creating opportunities for family engagement, and offering support and guidance, we can ensure that every child has the foundation they need to become proficient readers and successful learners. Together, we can build a future where every child has the opportunity to thrive through the power of literacy.
Lynne Hall, Research Associate, holds a Master of Science in Education and an Indiana instructional teaching license (Early Childhood Education and Services; Elementary/Primary Generalist; Elementary/Intermediate Generalist). She formerly taught preschool in a variety of settings for over 15 years. Her expertise includes early literacy instruction, equity in early childhood education, and inclusive classroom practices.
Email her at hallma@iu.edu
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