Upper Peninsula Birth to Five Literacy Network

Literacy is the ability to read, write, speak and listen in a way that lets us communicate effectively and make sense of the world. Building a child’s vocabulary, self expression and ability to understand are all ways to create a solid foundation so a child has skills necessary for school success.

The early years matter. Early childhood is one of the most enjoyable and important times in a child’s life. Babies are born ready and wired to learn. Their development is moving at light speed! Every experience builds important connections in their brain for all future learning. In fact, 90 percent of brain development happens in the first five years of life! Parents are a child’s first and most important teacher. Parents and caregivers are supporting future reading skills before a child can talk. Research shows children learn best through play and loving interactions with their primary caretakers. Every day is filled with teachable moments that create a deep connection with a child and nurtures their early literacy skills. Ensuring children have strong early literacy skills sets them up for success building their confidence to become lifelong learners.

Summary

• Early literacy is what children know about reading and writing before they can read or write.
• Literacy development begins at birth.
• Children develop early literacy skills in the first three years of life.
• Early literacy is not early reading.
• Early literacy skills include these important foundational skills. They are the building blocks for learning to read and write.
  • Print Motivation —  taking an interest in and enjoying books
  • Vocabulary — knowing the names of things
  • Print Awareness —  a child’s ability to point to the words on the page of a book
  • Narrative Skills —  a child understands and can tell a story and describe things
  • Letter Knowledge — the ability to recognize and name letters (upper and lower case) and produce the sounds they make
  • Phonological Awareness — the ability to work with sounds in spoken language

Helping your child learn literacy skills doesn’t have to be boring. You do not need flash cards or fancy toys. Evidence shows children learn best through play with their caretakers. Talking, reading, singing, writing and playing with a child is the very best way to help develop the skills they will need for school success. It’s all about having fun and creating a love for learning. Loving interactions with adults is a key component in helping a child’s brain reach its full potential. It is also an important way to develop social emotional skills which are as important to learning as their ABC’s.

• Kindergarten Readiness Booklet Great Start developed a booklet to help guide parents in understanding school expectations and ways to develop these skills with their children.
• Language and Literacy for Little Ones The General Educational Literacy Network developed this guide for families on ways to to build these skills at home.
• Create a Love for Learning with your child!
• Raising A Reader Menominee County Great Start Collaborative created a free online parent education class to help parents get their kids ready and eager to learn.
• The State of Michigan created the Top Ten Early Literacy Essentials to improve children’s reading scores. Research suggests that the practices outlined in the documents below can have a positive impact on children.
  • Birth to Age 3 Essential Literacy Practices
  • PreKindergarten Essential Literacy Practices

In 2016, The Michigan Legislature passed the Read by Grade Three Law requiring children to read proficiently by the end of third grade. This is a crucial time when academics switch from children learning to read to reading to learn.

Studies show that children who fall behind academically tend to remain behind throughout their school years. Those being raised by families facing barriers to economic stability are at even greater risk. These children often struggle with reading throughout their entire lives. Children who experience challenges with reading at the end of first grade are much more likely to experience challenges with reading at the end of fourth grade. To address this, Michigan schools now identify at-risk children in kindergarten and support their learning through Individualized Reading Improvement Plans (IRIP). These plans also include strong parental support at home. Parents can ensure their children will be ready to learn by working with them on these important skills as early as possible, as suggested by Essential Literacy Practices.

Initially, Michigan’s Read by Grade Three law contained a component stating students who were more than one grade level behind at the end of third grade may need to repeat third grade. In March 2023, Governor Whitmer removed this requirement. All other supports remain in place. At-risk student progress will be measured through their Individualized Reading Improvement Plans and a statewide assessment called Michigan’s Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) which is given to students in grades 3 to 8 each spring. Schools will continue providing necessary support and interventions to ensure student reading success.

If you have concerns about your child's reading talk to your child's teacher and access the many resources available through this website to help them at home.

Video thumbnail: Understanding the Need for Michigan’s Read by Grade Three Law (2:00)