4’s Skills
Heritage Learning Center
Skill Sheet
Understands left to right progression
Understanding that print is read from left to right and top to bottom is a
very important pre-reading skill. Children must also know that books are
read from front to back. These are very basic ideas to those of us familiar
with them; to a young child it is not so logical (remember, not all cultures
do read in those directions!).
It is very important to read often to your child. Sometimes as you share
books, run your fingers under the words as you read them to show your
child that reading goes from left to right, and then bring your finger back
across the page to start another line. Make it clear that you are moving
from top to bottom of the page and from the front to the back of the
book.
Other suggestions to reinforce this skill:

Use a calendar with your child. Allow him/her to cross off one
block each day, or put a sticker on it. Point out that the stickers
are going across the page and from top to bottom.

Make sure you always put your child’s name in the upper left
hand corner of the page. When s/he writes it by him or herself,
put a dot in that corner for the starting point.

Arrange two rows of objects to be counted. Emphasize counting
form left to right, and the top row first.
Your child will be most familiar with books and the proper way to read
them if you share books together every day. Reading together creates a
special bond, too.