Reading is one of the most important skills your toddler will develop early on. It sets the foundation for all other learning and opens up a world of opportunities. But where do you start when teaching your toddler to read? A great place to begin is with prepositions, CVC (-at) words, and sight words. These essential building blocks make up the core of early reading, and incorporating them into fun, engaging stories can help your toddler develop strong literacy skills.
One such storybook that does just this is What Do You See?, a delightful and interactive book designed to teach toddlers prepositions, CVC words, and sight words through repetition and hands-on learning. In this article, we’ll explore how to use What Do You See? to help your toddler start reading while incorporating proven techniques and strategies backed by research on early literacy development.
How What Do You See? Helps Toddlers Learn Prepositions
Prepositions are essential for helping toddlers understand how objects relate to one another in space. Words like under, on, behind, and between are fundamental for building comprehension skills, and introducing them early on can set your toddler up for success in understanding more complex concepts later.
Research on Prepositions in Early Literacy
Research shows that teaching prepositions improves both language and cognitive development in young children. By understanding the spatial relationships between objects, toddlers are better equipped to make sense of the world around them, which in turn helps develop their overall language skills.
How What Do You See? Teaches Prepositions
In What Do You See?, prepositions are introduced through simple, repetitive sentences that describe where objects are in relation to one another. For example:
- “The cat is under the mat.”
- “The rat is on the mat.”
- “The bat is behind the mat.”
- “The hat is between the mats.”
This storybook uses real-world scenarios with illustrations to show toddlers exactly where the objects are located, helping them connect the language to tangible objects. As you read, you can engage your toddler by pointing to objects around the house and using the same prepositions, reinforcing the concept through real-life experiences.
Techniques for Reinforcing Prepositions
- Physical Play: Use toys or household objects to demonstrate the prepositions as you read. For example, place a toy cat under a mat, a rat on a mat, and a bat behind a mat. This reinforces the relationship between the words and the actions.
- Interactive Reading: Ask your toddler questions like, “Where is the cat?” and encourage them to point to or place objects in the corresponding location. This helps them internalize the prepositions through active participation.
How What Do You See? Helps Toddlers Learn CVC Words
CVC words, or three-letter words with the consonant-vowel-consonant structure (such as cat, bat, and rat), are a crucial part of early phonics. Mastering these simple words helps toddlers understand letter sounds and begin blending them into words, a vital skill for reading.
Research on CVC Words
Studies show that teaching CVC words is one of the most effective ways to develop early reading skills. These words help children build phonemic awareness, the ability to hear and manipulate sounds in spoken words, which is essential for decoding new words.
How What Do You See? Teaches CVC Words
In What Do You See?, CVC words are used in a repetitive pattern that allows toddlers to see and hear the words frequently. The book introduces words like:
- “I see a cat.”
- “I see a rat.”
- “I see a bat.”
This repetition helps toddlers recognize the words quickly and start decoding them on their own. The predictability of the sentence structure also supports early reading development, as toddlers will be able to guess the word by its pattern even before they fully read it.
Techniques for Reinforcing CVC Words
- Sounding Out: Encourage your toddler to say the individual sounds in each word. For example, c-a-t for cat. Once they get comfortable, they can blend the sounds together to say the full word.
- Repetition: Repetition is key to mastering CVC words. Read the book multiple times and encourage your toddler to say the words along with you. Each reading will reinforce their familiarity with the words.
- Word Games: Turn learning CVC words into a game. Place cards with the words cat, bat, rat, etc., around the house and ask your toddler to match them with pictures of the corresponding animals. This reinforces their word recognition in a fun, interactive way.
How What Do You See? Helps Toddlers Learn Sight Words
Sight words are high-frequency words that don’t always follow regular phonetic rules. Words like the, is, and where are sight words because they can’t always be sounded out. Learning to recognize these words by sight is essential for building fluency in reading.
Research on Sight Words
Research shows that sight words make up about 70-80% of the words in children’s books, making them essential for early reading success. Once children can recognize these words instantly, they can focus on decoding other words and improving reading speed.
How What Do You See? Teaches Sight Words
In What Do You See?, sight words are embedded in simple, repetitive sentences, making them easy for toddlers to recognize and memorize. For example:
- “I see a cat.”
- “Where is the cat?”
- “The cat is on the mat.”
The book’s repetitive structure ensures that sight words like I, see, a, and the are seen frequently, helping toddlers recognize them by sight. As they become familiar with these words, they can begin to read the sentences independently.
Techniques for Reinforcing Sight Words
- Flashcards: Create flashcards with sight words from the book and go through them regularly. Show the card, say the word, and ask your toddler to repeat it.
- Pointing to Words: While reading the book, point to the sight words as you say them. This helps your toddler connect the written word with its pronunciation.
- Repetition: The more your toddler sees and hears sight words, the quicker they’ll memorize them. Read the same book multiple times, and encourage your toddler to say the sight words as you read together.
The Benefits of What Do You See?
- Interactive Learning: By encouraging your toddler to actively engage with the story through questions and physical activities, What Do You See? makes learning feel like a game, making it easier for toddlers to absorb new concepts.
- Simple and Predictable: The repetitive structure of the sentences in What Do You See? allows toddlers to feel confident as they recognize words and prepositions. This builds their self-esteem and enthusiasm for reading.
- Multisensory Approach: The combination of reading, physical activity, and visual aids helps reinforce the learning of prepositions, CVC words, and sight words in a way that resonates with toddlers’ natural learning style.
Conclusion
What Do You See? is the perfect tool to start your toddler on their reading journey. By introducing prepositions, CVC words, and sight words in a fun and engaging way, this book provides a strong foundation for early literacy. Through repetition, interactive techniques, and simple sentences, your toddler will begin recognizing and reading these essential words, setting them up for success as they progress to more complex reading skills. Start reading today, and watch your toddler’s love for learning grow!