HELP YOUR CHILD BEGIN TO READ
KINDERGARTEN
Presented by Nyack PIE.
Box 167
Nyack, NY
845-358-2033
nyackpie.org
WHAT TO EXPECT IN KINDERGARTEN
Here is some of what you can expect your kindergarten child to be doing by the end of the year:
Understand that we read left to right and pages are read from top to bottom.
Understand that each letter has a sound.
Print capital letters and small letters.
Draw pictures or print simple (1 to 3 letter) words to tell a story
Write first and last name
Recognize some beginning and ending sounds for words (cat, mat, can]
Take chances on writing new words and harder sentences without worrying about spelling.
Read own writing
By the end of Kindergarten, the school expects your child to be able to recognize his or her own name and 22 simple words (like is and but). 25 books will be read to him in school.
HOW YOUR CHILD WILL BE TAUGHT
Your child’s Kindergarten teacher will teach reading in a number of different ways. These will include:
reading aloud
helping your child understand and appreciate what has been read
teaching your child the alphabet and how to sound out simple words
helping your child recognize common words that are hard to sound out (like the and was)
begin reading simple books
WHAT YOU CAN DO AT HOME TO HELP
You are your child’s first teacher. No matter how well you read or what language you speak, you are already helping. As your child learns, give praise. If they forget, don’t worry. Learning should be something they want to do.
Talk to your child. That’s how they learn language. Talk about what you see and hear. Explore how things work. You are a role model!
Teach the seasons, the names of the days and the months in their correct order.
Play simple word games. (“How many words can we think of that begin like bat, baby, banana?” “What rhymes with cat?”) Make learning language fun.
Read to your child as often as you can. Or, get a book on tape, go to library programs, or have an older brother or sister read. (If they ask for the same book over and over, it’s okay!)
Stop and talk about what’s just been read.
Get your child a library card. (It’s free!) Visit the library or other places where people read aloud. Show how we use reading all the time: point out words and letters on signs, cereal boxes, ads, etc.
Teach that letters have sounds (not their alphabet names but the sounds they make.). Show how, when you put sounds together, you make words. For example, with a (as in apple), t, and m, your child can make at, am, mat.
Encourage your child to draw and write, and let them explain what they wrote.
The goal is for your child to be able to think about what he or she has read and to enjoy reading. Children learn at different ages and at different speeds. Make sure you ask the school to show you how your child’s progress in reading is measured throughout the year. If you have questions, call Nyack PIE at 358-2033.
