Stimulate children to think and talk about things beyond what’s happening in the here-and-now. Make comments and ask questions that encourage them to imagine and pretend, to think about the past and the future, about why things happen and how to solve problems, as well as to consider other people’s opinions, emotions and perspectives. The ability to use this kind of abstract language provides a critically important foundation for learning to read.
Tips
Daily Activities:
When you change a routine, do something unusual or when things don’t go as planned, explain why this has happened. For example, “We can’t have cereal for breakfast because I forgot to buy milk”.
Pretend Play:
Introduce a problem for your child to solve when pretending together. For example, “There’s no milk for the baby and the stores are closed! What can we do?”
Reading Books:
Ask your child questions that encourage him/her to predict what will happen in a story. For example, “What do you think will happen when the boy opens the door?” Give him/her time to answer.
On the Go…:
Ask your child to think about other people’s feelings in various situations. For example, “How do you think that boy felt when he went to a new school?”
The Greater Essex County District School Board
Speech and Language Services
Source: The Hanen Center; 2008 Preschool Language and Literacy Calendar
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