Early Start, Strong Finish: The Science of Reading in Preschool
The science of reading in preschool helps us understand how young children build early reading skills. A big part of this is mastering letter recognition, which helps preschoolers connect letter shapes to their sounds. When kids strengthen these skills, they’re better equipped to tackle reading as they grow.
Recognizing letters isn’t just about naming them—it’s about helping kids become so familiar with them that they can spot letters automatically. This familiarity makes it easier to blend sounds, recognize words, decode, and eventually build fluency.
There are also many other important areas of reading and literacy that are part of the science of reading (SOR). We will discuss all of these important skills and how they apply to SOR and early literacy development.
The science of reading for preschool highlights how kids learn reading skills best. It focuses on core skills like phonics, sound awareness, and fluency, all of which start with solid letter recognition. One crucially important foundational skill for preschoolers is connecting letters to their names and sounds.
A strong emphasis on letter recognition helps lay a strong foundation for blending sounds, decoding words, and eventually spelling. Helping kids connect the shapes of letters to what they represent, makes reading less overwhelming and more approachable. The science of reading guides us on how to teach these foundational literacy skills in an explicit and systematic way.
For preschool teachers and homeschool parents, these activities aren’t just about teaching letters—they’re about building confidence and a love for reading. By using strategies rooted in the science of reading, we’re setting kids up for success as they move through early literacy stages. Thoughtful teaching will give your preschoolers a strong head start in literacy.
If you want to ensure that your preschoolers are getting everything they need, we have designed a complete preschool literacy curriculum that is based on extensive research, and offers systematic and explicit instruction. Check it out and help take the guesswork out of your planning!
Understanding the Science of Reading in Preschool
Let’s take a closer look at the science of reading. In this section, we’ll make it easy to understand what it is, why it works, and how it can help preschoolers become successful readers.
Science of Reading Definition and Core Components
The science of reading is an evidence-based approach that explains how children learn to read and what methods work best. It is built on extensive research from neuroscience, linguistics, and cognitive psychology, and provides a structured way to teach literacy.
We must understand these research-based methods to give our preschoolers the best start in the reading process.
The core components of the science of reading include:
- Understanding What You Read (Comprehension): We want kids to get what stories and words mean, not just read them out loud. It’s about understanding the story, making ideas connect, and thinking about what it all means. Ask questions about stories, like “What might happen next?” or “Why did the character do that?” Talk about the story after you read it together.
- Playing with Sounds (Phonemic Awareness): Preschoolers love sounds! This is about hearing and playing with the little sounds in words. Think of sounds like “c” “a” “t” in “cat.” Play rhyming games like “cat, hat, bat.” Clap out the sounds in words, like clap-clap for “ba-by”.
- Letters and Sounds (Phonics): Kids need to know that letters and sounds go together. Play games where you match letters to pictures that start with that letter. Use letter toys to make simple words like “dog.”
- Knowing Lots of Words (Vocabulary): The more words kids know, the better they understand what they read. We need to help them learn new words! Read books with your preschoolers! Sing songs! Just talk to them about everything you see and do each day.
- Reading Smoothly (Fluency): We want kids to read like we talk – not like robots! Fluency is reading words quickly and correctly, and with feeling. Read familiar books over and over again. Model reading with excitement and expression!
Research Foundations in the Science of Reading
Neuroscience and educational studies show that early literacy development is deeply connected to brain growth. Research confirms that engaging preschoolers in structured reading activities strengthens neural connections, making it easier for them to recognize letters, decode words, and develop language skills.
Why the Science of Reading Matters for Preschoolers
As parents and educators, we all want to give preschoolers the best possible start, especially when it comes to reading. But have you ever wondered how young children truly learn best? That’s where the science of reading comes in, and why it’s so incredibly important for this age group. It’s not just another teaching method; it’s our guide to understanding the specific skills young children need to become successful readers.
- Critical Period of Development
Children’s brains are highly adaptable, making the preschool years a crucial time for literacy development. During this stage, our children will absorb language and develop the building blocks needed for reading and writing. When it comes to language acquisition, preschoolers’ brains are like little sponges. This is why it is critical to make the most of this key developmental period.
- Preventing Reading Difficulties
Children who do not receive structured early reading instruction may struggle later on. Research shows that early literacy skills impact other performances of a child. Without a strong foundation in phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary, children may experience difficulties in decoding words, leading to reading gaps and comprehension struggles.
- Setting the Stage for Lifelong Learning
Reading is more than just a skill – it shapes cognitive, social, and emotional growth. Our children love listening to stories, asking questions, and exploring books. By fostering early literacy, we encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and a love for learning. Keep in mind that reading and comprehension are crucial skills in all subject areas throughout school and into adulthood. What we do to help with literacy now, really does have a lifelong effect!
Key Practices in Applying the Science of Reading for Preschoolers
There are specific, research-based practices that correlate with the science of reading. Reading activities can allow your children to decode new words by sounding them out, arrange letters to form words, and analyze learning independently without relying on rote memorization.
Here is a list of activities that help develop literacy skills in preschoolers:
Phonemic Awareness Activities
- Rhyming games: Singing nursery rhymes and playing “What rhymes with a cat?” helps children recognize similar sounds and rhyming patterns.
- Sound Blending: Saying sounds slowly and letting children blend them into words strengthens decoding skills.
- Segmenting words: Clapping syllables in words helps children break them into smaller parts for easier phonemic awareness and decoding.
Introducing Phonics
- Alphabet puzzles: Matching letters with pictures reinforces letter-sound relationships.
- Magnetic letters: There are many fun, hands-on ways to use magnetic letters to strengthen letter recognition and phonemic awareness skills.
- Letter tracing: Tracing letters can help with letter recognition and letter formation. Our beginning sounds roadway letter formation mats offer a fun way to practice these skills and also have pictures to help match letters to their sounds.
Building Vocabulary and Oral Language Skills
- Reading aloud: Engaging picture books help introduce new words and concepts to preschoolers, while also being a special time to enjoy the magic of stories together.
- Storytelling: Modeling storytelling to your preschoolers and encouraging them to make up stories helps boost creativity and language skills.
- Daily conversations: Talking about everyday activities helps children learn new words naturally. An extension of this is labeling common items in your classroom or home and discussing their names and uses as well.
Encouraging Print Awareness
- Pointing to words while reading: Showing words as we read helps children recognize print directionality and identifying familiar letters in print.
- Labeling objects: Labeling common items in our home like “door” or “chair” connects words to their meanings.
- Creating a print-rich environment: Having books, labels, and signs at home encourages familiarity with written language. Also, encourage your preschoolers to notice signs and words when you are out and about.
Fostering Comprehension
- Ask questions: “What do you think will happen next?” encourages critical thinking.
- Make predictions: Guessing what happens next and the story’s ending helps build engagement and inference skills.
- Discussing stories: Talking about characters, settings, and plot helps strengthen comprehension.
Role of Parents and Educators in Preschool Reading
Parents and educators play a big role in the development of literacy in their preschoolers. But, in what ways can we best help our children develop literacy skills? The following are the roles of parents and educators that are needed to fully support our children:
- Partnership in Early Literacy. A strong partnership between parents and educators plays an important role in our preschooler’s literacy development. Working together ensures consistency in teaching methods and supports learning at home and in the classroom.
- Creating Literacy-Rich Environments. Our children need access to engaging reading materials. Setting up cozy reading corners, providing different books, and incorporating storytelling into daily routines all help to create an inviting space for learning.
- Access to Resources. Educators and parents can support preschoolers by using tools like interactive books, literacy apps, and hands-on activities that align with the science of reading. When we have access to different resource programs, it is ensured that our children will receive their best start.
Overcoming Common Challenges in the Science of Reading
Early intervention is key to combat challenges. It is important to create targeted support to your children. Early intervention can help children overcome challenges and develop strong foundational reading skills.
- Addressing Diverse Learning Needs
Every child learns differently. Tailoring activities to suit individual needs – whether through hands-on learning, visual aids, or multi-sensory techniques can ensure that all children can develop literacy skills at their own pace.
- Combating Misconceptions
Some believe the science of reading is too complex for preschoolers, but research shows early exposure to structured literacy methods benefits young children. Using playful and engaging activities makes learning accessible and enjoyable for all children.
The science of reading in preschool provides young children with a strong foundation in literacy. We have the power to nurture our children’s skills by using evidence-based methods that are proven to be effective!
Our preschoolers love exploring, playing, and discovering new things – let’s guide them with effective reading practices. By using explicit and systematic teaching methods, while also keeping learning hands-on and fun, we are giving our preschoolers the best possible start in their literacy journeys.
I’m Sarah, an educator turned stay-at-home-mama of five! I’m the owner and creator of Stay At Home Educator, a website about intentional teaching and purposeful learning in the early childhood years. I’ve taught a range of levels, from preschool to college and a little bit of everything in between. Right now my focus is teaching my children and running a preschool from my home. Credentials include: Bachelors in Art, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction.
