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Stage 1
Pre-Reader
Every sound you learn, every letter you find, every story you hear. It is all building something. This is where reading begins.
Every sound you learn, every letter you find, every story you hear. It is all building something. This is where reading begins.
You love being read to, even if you are not reading words on your own yet
You know some letters, especially the ones in your name
You might "read" a book by looking at the pictures and telling the story
You are starting to notice that words are made of sounds
Rhymes and silly words make you laugh
You can follow along when someone points to the words while reading
Being read to is one of the most powerful things at this stage. Every story builds vocabulary, a sense of how books work, and love of reading. Read aloud. A lot.
Rhyming, clapping syllables, silly tongue twisters. Playing with sounds is how the brain gets ready to read. When it feels like play, it is still learning.
Start with letters that feel personal. Your name. A sibling's name. A favorite word. Meaning makes letters stick.
This season is about wonder. Not getting things perfect. If your child loves books, they are already becoming a reader.
"Every child has a reading story. This is the first page."
You can't rush a garden. But you can give it exactly what it needs to grow. Your job right now is to tend. Not to push.
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Start with Sound Spotter. Free. Playful. Built for exactly this stage.
Try Sound SpotterA guided reading path families can follow at home. Short teaching videos, printable practice, and interactive tools — all in one place.
Join the Library $67Pre-Reader resource
Every letter has a path. Learning the right path from the start makes writing feel natural. A free reference with formation cues for every letter, uppercase and lowercase.
