FOUNDATIONS OF ENGLISH READING

This text is intended to guide teachers and caregivers towards successful reading in early years education. English being an Alphabetic based language should be introduced through gradual phases of the alphabetic principle. This book discusses pre-reading skills such as print awareness, alphabet knowledge, letter-sound correspondence and familiar word reading. Teachers being the fundamental educational media since time immemorial must be equipped with the pedagogical skills necessary to handle reading readiness skills. Reading Readiness is a point at which a learner is ready to learn to read and the time during which a learner transits from being a non-reader into a reader. This is made possible by acquisition of pre reading skills. A learner¿s recognition of letters is very important as he or she should be conversant with letter names and letter shapes (both upper and lowercase) before they are introduced to letter sound correspondence. It is important to note that knowledge of letter sounds (phonemic awareness) offer clues to word reading fluency. It is necessary to ensure learners are taught letter sounds first then introduction of letter shapes and finally letter names.