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Literacy Tips Across Ages: Early Readers (Early Literacy Milestones)

3 minutes 55 seconds
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      (Describer) Cartoon children sit reading on a stack of books. A title: Early Readers.

      (narrator) Early literacy milestones.

      (Describer) On a couch, two boys share a book.

      The following skills are typical developmental milestones for young children. These skills emerge when the right kind of stimulation is present in a child's environment. The development of literacy skills through early experiences with books and stories is linked to children's later success in learning to read. It is important to note that these are merely guidelines and each child may develop these skills on their own timeline. From birth to three months, your child should respond to sounds, watch things as they move, smile at people, and start to hold their head up to look at things. From three to six months, your child should begin making sounds and babbling and move their eyes in all directions. At the age of six to nine months, your child should reach for books, show affection for caregivers, respond to sounds, babble using vowel sounds-- ah, eh, oh-- and show emotion.

      (Describer) An infant smiles brightly and laughs.

      From 9 to 12 months, your child should actively explore their world, imitate sounds, use a few words, such as "no," "Mommy," or "Daddy." Use simple words with matching gestures. For example, say "bye-bye" and wave. And use a single word to express a whole thought, such as "more" for "I want more." At the age of 12 to 24 months, your child should handle books and turn the pages of board books, say two- to four-word phrases, select books and give them to an adult to read, and listen to books for a short amount of time.

      (Describer) A little girl turns a thick page.

      From 24 to 36 months, your child should point to things or pictures when they are named, know names of familiar people, know names of some body parts...

      (speaker) Where's your head?

      (Describer) Touching his head.

      [laughs]

      (narrator) and repeat words overheard in conversation.

      (Describer) Mother and grandmother smile at a toddler.

      From 36 to 48 months, your child should show a specific interest for many books based on the same topic, be interested in words and listen to longer stories, pick up a book and imitate reading, and show interest in print or labels.

      (Describer) A little girl grins and waves.

      At 48 months, your child should be able to name familiar signs and letters, recognize the letters in their names, show interest in their name in print, name beginning letters or sounds of words, match some letters to their sounds, and understand that print is read from left to right, top to bottom. Accessibility provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

      (Describer) Logos appear: Funding provided by the Ohio Broadcast Educational Media Commission, in partnership with the Ohio Department of Education. WOUB Public Media. Copyright 2019. Accessibility provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

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      Now Playing As: English with English captions (change)

      From birth to age four, children reach early literacy milestones that support foundational skills in reading. This episode highlights some of these milestones and offers tips for helping children achieve success. Part of the "Literacy Tips Across Ages" series.

      Media Details

      Runtime: 3 minutes 55 seconds

      Closeup of a baby sitting on a woman's lap. Woman looks down and holds an open book in front of them.
      Literacy Tips Across Ages
      Episode 1
      4 minutes 34 seconds
      Grade Level: PT/TT -
      Closeup of hair on the back of a person's head. Another person sits in an armchair in the background, looking toward camera.
      Literacy Tips Across Ages
      Episode 2
      3 minutes 7 seconds
      Grade Level: PT/TT -
      Color illustration of children reading books on top of and around a stack of giant books. Title card reads, "Early readers. 12 to 24 months."
      Literacy Tips Across Ages
      Episode 3
      3 minutes 1 seconds
      Grade Level: PT/TT -
      Color illustration of children reading books on top of and around a stack of giant books. Title card reads, "Early readers. Print awareness."
      Literacy Tips Across Ages
      Episode 4
      3 minutes 49 seconds
      Grade Level: PT/TT -
      Worm's eye view of a toddler in a onesie playing with trucks in the grass.
      Literacy Tips Across Ages
      Episode 5
      3 minutes 55 seconds
      Grade Level: PT/TT -
      Woman and 2 boys lean over and look at a notebook as the woman writes in it.
      Literacy Tips Across Ages
      Episode 6
      4 minutes 33 seconds
      Grade Level: PT/TT -
      2 girls hold hands and face one another in a classroom setting.
      Literacy Tips Across Ages
      Episode 7
      3 minutes 56 seconds
      Grade Level: PT/TT -
      Smiling woman stands in front of a fireplace. Her family is seated in front of her and looks up at her in a room with Christmas decorations.
      Literacy Tips Across Ages
      Episode 8
      4 minutes 24 seconds
      Grade Level: PT/TT -
      Closeup of the midsection of a woman in a floral blouse. She sits at a desk and holds up a card with a photo of a mouth forming the "T, H" sound.
      Literacy Tips Across Ages
      Episode 9
      4 minutes 35 seconds
      Grade Level: PT/TT -
      Toddler stands with his hands up at his shoulders as he smiles with his eyes closed in a room full of toys. Sliver of a woman's profile is at the edge of the frame with lips parted.
      Literacy Tips Across Ages
      Episode 10
      3 minutes 2 seconds
      Grade Level: PT/TT -