by Becky Ross Redwater, Alberta, Canada
There are many things that preschoolers could be learning to assist them in becoming ready for reading. Here are some easy things to try!
1. Hear and Identify Rhyming Words
- Recite and memorize nursery rhymes and songs. Favorites are: Humpty Dumpty, Baa-Baa Black Sheep, Hickory Dickory Dock, Jack and Jill, and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
- Make them aware of the rhythm by clapping out the words or the syllables in the words to the song or rhyme (Twin-kle, twin-kle lit–tle star . . .).
- Repeat rhymes or songs having the child clap only on the rhyming words.
- Continue to familiarize the child with rhyming by reading rhyming stories such as Dr. Seuss Books, The Teeny Tiny Woman, etc. . . .
- More challenging songs to try at this point would be:
When I first began homeschooling many years ago, I heard an elderly educator give her “One Third Plan” for how to plan a child’s day. I was intrigued!
