readiness Kindergarten readiness — the knowledge, skills and behaviors mm at te TS | that enable your child to participate and succeed in school - sets the stage for future learning. Readiness for school is one of the most important factors in your child's academic and life success. Is Your Child Ready for Kindergarten? ‘There are many different skills and behaviors that your child Is learning now that will help him or her to be ready for kindergarten. Some of these skills include: + Language & Literacy. Talking and listening to adults and other children, Speaking clearly. Understanding stories. Identifying letters and some latter sounds. + Social Foundations. Getting along with others. Following rules, routines, and multistep directions. Handling emotions. Staying on task * Physical Well-being & Motor Development. Running, jumping, climbing, and playing ball. Buttoning a shir or zipping up a jacket. Using telstors. Drawing, Writing numbers and letters. Using good health and safety skill. ‘+ Mathematics. Counting. Sorting things by color and shape. Copying patterns. Solving problems. ‘When your child starts school, the teacher will use the Kindergarten Readiness Assossment (KRA) to understand what your child knows and is able to do in these four areas or Domains of Learning. The KRA helps your child's teacher learn about your child and shows areas where your child may need support or more practic. ‘The kindergarten teacher will share this information with you. during parent/family-teacher conferences so that you can work together to support your child's school experience. Ready for Kindergarten Benefits your Child. Ready for Kindergarten (R&K) is Maryland's new Early Childhood Comprehensive Astesement System - the state's system for observing the learning progress and needs of children from 360 72 months (3 to 6 years) of age. The KRA is one part of RAK. If your child attends prekindergarten (PreK) or another early learning program, such as Head Start, @ Judy Center or a state- ‘approved preschool program, the program may choose to use the RAK’s Early Learning Assessment to measure your child's progress of learning. RAK helps early educators and kindergarten teachers improve ‘and target classroom instruction. Teachers use the information gathered to: ‘= Design activities to support your chile’s learning. ‘+ Discuss your child's strengths and needs with you, ‘Plan interventions, if needed, to ensure that your child is successful. * Suggest ways that you can provide learning opportunities at home to help your child grow and learn. “The Kindergarten Readiness Assessment gives me a broader picture of my class as a whole, and of individual students. It paints a portrait of each kindergarteners strengths, capabilities, and areas where support is needed. As a result, I know the types of activities that will best help my students succeed in school.” Kindergarten Teacher, Howard CountyFamilies Can Help ‘As a parent or family member, you play a crucial role in your child's readiness for school. From the day your child is born, you are helping to develop the academic, socal, physical, and emotional skills that will stay with your chi throughout life, You can help your child be ready for kindergarten. Here's how: * Read. Read to your child every day. Choose books that interest yout child and ask questions to help your child understand! the stories, such as: "What do you think will happen next?" or “What was your favorite part of the story?” ‘Talk & Sing. Sing silly songs. Say nursery rhymes, make-up stories, share favorite memories, play rhyming games, or simply talk with your child * Play. Learning is fun! Play games, like Candyland™ or Go Fish™, with your child. Encourage your child to act out a story. Let your child use art supplios to make puppets and put on a puppet show. Together, build with blocks or race toy cars. Give ‘your child time to play with other children. Learn More lpiteoteideead ‘or check us out on Facebook for 5520 Research Park Drive Suite 150 SEA eer ee ar) ‘+ Be Active. Run, jump, play tag or hide & seek, play ball, or go ‘to the playground with your child. Explore and have fun. Take ‘walks or bike rides with your child and talk about what you see. Teach your child key safety rules. ‘ Nurture problem solving. Set rules and routines; help your child learn to follow them. Encourage your child to practice ‘writing letters and numbers, copy or extend patterns, and follow multistep directions. Count objects with your child. Ask {your child to help with simple household tasks, like measuring ‘the ingredients when cooking or sort the laundry. Each year, more than 67,000 children enter Marylancls kindergarten classrooms. In the 2014-2015 school year, about. half (479) of kindergarteners were ready for school. You play ‘ key role in the outcomes for your child. The experiences you offer your child, starting at birth, bulld the skills and behaviors ‘that are necessary for school and life success. Please join us to censure that your child is on track and ready for kindergarten. ready