The Importance of Reading in the Early Years
Think about how many times during one day, you use your ability to read. You might be reading a menu or a recipe, or perhaps you are reading a report at work. You might be reading your child a bed time story or even reading yourself a bed time story! Each and every day people read for a variety of purposes and the importance of this skill is not in question.  It is essential!

 literacy is ...the ability to read and use written information and to write appropriately in a range of contexts. Literacy involves the integration of speaking, listening and critical thinking with reading and writing. NSW Board of Studies(1998)

Competence in English enables students to learn about the role of language in their own lives, and in their own and other cultures. They will then be able to communicate their thoughts and feelings, to participate in society, to make informed decisions about social and personal issues, analyse information and viewpoints, to use their imaginations and to think about the influence of culture on the meanings made from language. (Board of Studies, NSW)

So, when is the best time to start reading to your child? Mem Fox, in her book, ‘Reading Magic' (2001), states that the best time to start reading to your child is at birth. She believes the melodic rhythm of your voice can be quite calming, even for newborns who can't necessarily understand what you are saying (although no-one will ever know whether they can understand so perhaps it's best to assume they can.....). Preschoolers need to be provided with as many opportunities as possible to view print so that they can begin to understand that these symbols have meaning. The more children see this print and the different combinations they make, the faster they will start to recognise these groupings.  

Basic things you need to know about Literacy and your child.
Many parents have asked me as a classroom teacher, what they can do for their young children at home to encourage reading development? The key here is informal exposure rather than explicit teaching. Children learn through informal situations at home, at the shops, in the car – just about everywhere you might find written text. There are many ways you can encourage your child to become a good reader, even before they can actually read a book!
Following are some points that I, as a classroom teacher and now as a parent, have found essential when reading with young children.

Things to keep in mind!

• Share books with them – all sorts! Allow them to choose some too
• Play with the rhymes in books
• Pretend reading is real reading – children often use their imagination to decipher the pictures in a book and tell the story. They are sequencing while doing this.
• Look at signs and logos – The more a parent and their child read aloud whatever print they come across, the better. Some different forms of print in our environment include signs, billboards, posters and logos
• Telling stories is oral reading – verbally sequencing a story from beginning, middle to end gives the child a sense of order and purpose
• Re-enacting or retelling a story is about remembering sequence

Never underestimate your child and their capability to learn. One thing that really surprised me as a first time parent was how quickly my son absorbed information, usually without me even ‘teaching' him. I am sure he learnt most of these things from conversation and from his exposure to books and language.

Reading is so much more than just being able to decipher words on a page.  The earlier children are exposed to reading, in its many and varied forms, the higher their ability to become critical thinkers as adults.