Testing for readiness: Scribbling

How, then, can we know when a child is ready to move into print?

There are two simple ways to find out. The first and most obvious sign is when a child begins to scribble.

For example, they bring us their picture, point to what probably looks more like a blob than the family dog, and say, Look! Here’s Bella. Then pointing to some scribbles they say, See, here’s where it says “Bella.” 

With this, we know they’ve figured out that printed words are “talk” written down. So we begin to show them how their own words look in print. 

But every child who realizes this may not try scribbling right away on their own. And many other children have not been exposed to print enough to figure it out, even though they’re actually ready to work on it. 

So if we suspect a child is ready, we don’t need to wait for them to scribble. 

Testing for readiness: Interest

We can simply show them how a word they’ve spoken looks written down and see how interested they are in seeing and playing with it.

We do that with a Key Word — one that represents something they love, fear, want or are simply fascinated with. 

To capture a Key Word, we sit with a child and have them tell us about something special they have on their mind.

Once they talk about it awhile, we help them decide which word they’ve been using best represents what they’re thinking.

We write that word out on paper sturdy enough so they can carry it around and do something with it. Say it’s their dog, Bella. We have them show the word to Bella, and perhaps put it near Bella’s bowl or in her bed.

 Then if child is ready to move into print, they will immediately recognize that word on the Word Card the next day and remember it from then on.

(I emphasize on the Word Card, because at this point, they may not recognize it printed elsewhere — so actually they’re remembering the entire experience — not yet “reading” in the traditional sense.)

From this, we know they are ready for our help. That they will benefit from playing regularly with their own Key Words.

caution about testing and readiness

One word of caution, though, about testing: Sometimes it takes awhile for the child to understand that you’re asking for — that you want a word that’s really special to them.

If, for instance, you just ask what word they want you to write for them, they may gaze around the room and ask for something their eyes just happen to land on — like “light bulb.” And they probably won’t remember it the next day.

If they’ve asked for what appears to be a true Key Word, but they weren’t that interested in seeing it and don’t remember it the next day, they probably aren”t ready. If you try it a second time, and they still don’t show interest or remember the word the next day, then I would just try again some weeks or months later.

For we want to be very careful we’re not imposing print on them before they’re ready — just as we wouldn’t want to try to get a child to walk before they’re ready. For when they see they can’t do it, they might lose confidence and shy away from print later.

At the same time most children need some help learning to read and write. And just as we wouldn’t want to start them too early, we don’t want them to wait beyond the time they’re “ripe” for gaining a particular skill. For then it’s more difficult — just as it’s more difficult to learn a second language when beyond a certain age.

So just as we wouldn’t want to keep them in a swing (or otherwise penned up) most of the time, when actually, they’re ready to walk — we don’t want them to miss their sensitive period for literacy skills.