The document discusses an early literacy workshop focused on helping children develop reading and writing skills from infancy through engaging with books. It outlines essential early literacy skills, their importance, and interactive strategies for parents to encourage literacy, such as reading, singing, and questioning. Additionally, it provides details on resources available for parenting and a summer reading program for children.

1. Early Literacy Workshop & Story Time

2. Welcome
• The focus of this workshop is
about early literacy and what you
can do to help your child become
aware and comfortable with
language and books.

3. What is Early Literacy?
• Early Literacy is what children know about
reading and writing before they can actually
read or write.
• Children learn these skills beginning from
infancy. In other words, from the moment
they are born and you say “hello,” they are
already learning language.

4. Whyis Early Literacy important?
• Children who are exposed to books early on in
life have better language learning skills than
those who wait.
• The more they are read to, the easier it will be
for them to become active readers who are
excited and comfortable with words and
language.

5. Six EarlyLiteracy Skills
• Print Motivation
• Phonological Awareness
• Vocabulary
• Narrative Skills
• Print Awareness
• Letter Knowledge

6. Early LiteracyStory Time

7. I can make my hands go
Clap, clap, clap
Clap, clap, clap
Clap, clap, clap
I can make my hands go
Clap, clap, clap
They’re a part of me
I can make my feet go stomp, stomp, stomp…
I can make my fingers go wiggle, wiggle, wiggle…
I can make my head go nod, nod, nod…
I can make my eyes go blink, blink, blink…
They’re a part of Me

8. Baby at the Farm
by Karen Katz

9. Print Motivation
A child’s interest in and enjoyment of books.

10. Whyis this skill important?
• Print Motivation focuses on the
enjoyment of books by stimulating
fun and curiosity. By encouraging
children to play and investigate
books, they will want to read
more. It is incredibly important
that this experience is joyful;
otherwise, it creates a negative
experience, which is not what we
want.

11. What ParentsCan Do
• Instead of trying to cram a twenty-
minute story time into one sitting,
which can be difficult if you have a
fussy child, spread it out
throughout the day. In fact, the
more books we share with
children, the more they will
become interested in books.

12. Open,ShutThem
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap, clap, clap
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Put them in your lap, lap, lap
Creep them, crawl them
Creep them, crawl them
Right up to your chin, chin, chin
Open your mouth wide
But do not let them in
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap, clap, clap
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Put them in your lap, lap, lap
Creep them, crawl them
Creep them, crawl them
Right up to your cheek, cheek, cheek
Cover up your little eyes
And through your fingers peek
Peek-a-boo!

13. NurseryRhymes

14. Phonological Awareness
The ability to hear and play with smaller sounds
and words.

15. Whyis this skill important?
• Phonological Awareness is a fancy
term for a child’s ability to hear
small sounds that make up words.
Children are more perceptive
when hearing these sounds than
adults. Breaking down words into
sounds will aid in their ability to
read words, which is essential in
learning how to read.

16. What ParentsCan Do
• When reading to your child, exaggerate and
stress syllables. Let’s try this: If you have a
baby, or toddler, point to yourself and say
“Mommy” or “Daddy.” If your child can
speak, have them imitate you. Seriously,
have fun with this!!
• Another way to introduce this skill is by
singing and reciting rhymes. These tools will
help your child to learn that words are
made up of smaller parts and the music
helps to breakdown words. Let’s all sing The
Muffin Man.

17. The Muffin Man
Do you know the muffin man
The muffin man, the muffin man
Do you know the muffin man
Who lives in Drury Lane
Do you know the muffin man
The muffin man, the muffin man
Do you know the muffin man
Who lives in Drury Lane
Yes I know the muffin man
The muffin man, the muffin man
Yes I know the muffin man
Who lives in Drury Lane
*Can you hum it? Hum the tune
Do you know the muffin man
The muffin man, the muffin man
Do you know the muffin man
Who lives in Drury Lane

18. BabyAnimals

19. Vocabulary
A child’s interest in and enjoyment of books.

20. Whyis this skill important?
• It is not enough for children to just
have a wide range of vocabulary.
They also need to know the meaning
of those words. By encouraging
children to put smaller sounds into
words, we are teaching them that
sounds make up words that can be
found in books and in conversation.

21. What ParentsCan Do
• Whether it’s shopping at the grocery
store or driving around, talking is a
very useful tool in building
vocabulary.
• Speak with as many words as you can!
If you are introducing words that your
child is not familiar with, explain or
show an example.

22. I WentWalking
by Sue Williams

23. Print Awareness
Noticing print, knowing how to handle a book,
and how to follow the written word on a page.

24. Whyis this skill important?
• By showing children how to hold a
book and how reading begins
from left to write and top to
bottom, they are more willing to
explore and play with books. It
also aids in concentration and
perseverance.

25. What ParentsCan Do
• When reading to children, use your
finger to underline sentences or point to
words. If you have a baby, then point to
words when you are at home or out and
about. For example, when you are
stopped at a stop sign, point and say
“stop.”
• When reading to your child, show them
how to hold a book. If they would rather
play with the book, that is ok too.

26. Whereis Thumbkin?
Where is thumbkin, where is thumbkin?
Here I am, here I am
How are you today sir?
Very well, I thank you
Runaway, runaway
Where is pointer, where is pointer?
Here I am, here I am
How are you today sir?
Very well, I thank you
Runaway, runaway
Where is tall man, where is tall man?
Here I am, here I am
How are you today sir?
Very well, I thank you
Runaway, runaway
Where is ring man, where is ring man?
Here I am, here I am
How are you today sir?
Very well, I thank you
Runaway, runaway
Where is baby, where is baby?
Here I am, here I am
How are you today sir?
Very well, I thank you
Runaway, runaway
Where are all the men, where are all the
men?
Here we are, here we are
How are you today sirs?
Very well, we thank you
Runaway, Runaway

27. Narrative Skills
The ability to describe things and events and to
tell stories.

28. Whyis this skill important?
• Narrative Skills help children to understand
what they read through Dialogic Reading.
• Dialogic Reading means to explain to children
what is happening in the story through
descriptions.
• Take this skill further by asking your child
questions as they tell the story because it will
allow them to put their knowledge and
creativity to work.
• If your child would rather tell the story in their
own words, don’t be afraid to encourage
them.

29. What ParentsCan Do
• If you have a baby, encourage baby babble.
• If your child can talk, ask questions that will
illicit some sort of response, which can
consist of one or two words or a few
sentences. Get creative by making your own
stories about Iggy the iPhone or Tommy the
Toaster. By showing children how to tell
stories, we are not only helping them with
reading, but encouraging their imagination
and sense of humor.

30. B-I-N-G-O
There was a farmer had a dog
And Bingo was his name-o
B-I-N-G-O
B-I-N-G-O
B-I-N-G-O
And Bingo was his name-o
There was a farmer had a dog
And Bingo was his name-o
(Clap)-I-N-G-O
(Clap)-I-N-G-O
(Clap)-I-N-G-O
And Bingo was his name-o
There was a famer had a dog
And Bingo was his name-o
(Clap)-(Clap)-N-G-O
(Clap)-(Clap)-N-G-O
(Clap)-(Clap)-N-G-O
And Bingo was his name-o
There was a farmer had a dog
And Bingo was his name-o
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-G-O
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-G-O
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-G-O
And Bingo was his name-o
There was a farmer had a dog
And Bingo was his name-o
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-O
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-O
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-O
There was a farmer had a dog
And Bingo was his name-o
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)
(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)-(Clap)
And Bingo was his name-o

31. Letter Knowledge
Learning that each letter has a name, knowing
they have sounds, and recognizing them
everywhere.

32. Whyis this skill important?
• By naming letters, children will
understand that these letters
actually have names. By showing
children that letters are not only
different from one another, but
they all have different sounds
when used in words.

33. What ParentsCan Do
• A great way to practice this skill is to purchase
a set of magnetic letters that can be placed on
the fridge. If not, alphabet books are the
easiest way to go.
• Show your children what letters look like by
writing out their name and showing that each
letter has a specific sound that makes up their
name. This particular skill can be quite fun if
incorporated into an activity such as a
coloring sheet or crafts that demonstrate that
particular letter.

34. SharingBooksWith YourChild
• Make reading enjoyable. If the you and/or your child is having a bad day,
or not in the mood to read, try another time.
• Early Literacy learning is not meant to be about drilling!
• Share books as often as possible, even during hectic days, because it
provides parents and children with the opportunity to spend quality time
together, which is essential in child development.
• Also, by reading more often, children will be more willing to listen, or read,
which prepares them for the demands of school.
• Age appropriateness is essential when it comes to books and language
learning. As much as we like to think our babies are capable of
understanding everything we say and do, they are just starting out and
need to be taught and encouraged to progress (i.e., they need to roll over
and crawl before they walk). The same rules apply to toddlers and
preschoolers; however, once they have developed their skills, they need to
be encouraged to move on rather than remain stagnant.

35. Parenting Resources
• We have a variety of books and resources in
the Children’s Room and the Adult Nonfiction
section located on the Second Floor.
• We also have a parenting weblinks collection
that will provide more information about
brain development and early learning:
www.alhambralibrary.org/kids/parent.html

36. 2013 Children’s Summer
Reading Program
• Monday, June 3 - Sunday,
July 28.
• Sign up to read 100 minutes
each week with your child
and earn prizes including a
free book upon completion
of the program!
• We have special family
events on Monday
afternoons at 3:30 PM in
Reese Hall.
• A great way to spend time
together this summer!

37. Thank you for coming!