Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/caring-for-the-little-ones-when-do-you-teach-them-to-read/5014166/
Long ago, when I was a center director, parents would sometimes ask me when they were enrolling their infants, "When do you start teaching them to read?" I remember how shocked I was by their question, or maybe annoyed. My response was, "Well . . . from the very beginning!" And it was true, of course. Then I would explain how children really learn to read, all the many skills involved, and how all of them have their roots in the infant room.First of all, babies already read. Think about how they read you. They watch your face, listen to your voice, and notice your body language and gestures. I have a new puppy in my house now who is in this very process. He reads that when I put my sunglasses on and grab my binoculars, something exciting is going to happen - a walk! Or when a suitcase comes out, something sad will happen. Your actions, expressions, and gestures are already symbols. The child learns to associate the gesture with something else. You hold out your hands to the child and the child reads, "She wants to pick me up."
Let's think of some of the other pre-literacy learnings of ...