Teachers expect incoming elementary students to be able to carry on conversations, express their thoughts with some coherence using a variety of words, and even retell stories they have heard or witnessed. These tasks require a substantial vocabulary, as well as an understanding that sounds create words, which become meaningful sentences.
Children would also be expected to recognize the difference between pictures and letters, and to understand that the letters of the alphabet represent sounds. Upon entering kindergarten, children should be familiar with the alphabet and realize that words are read from left to right, and top to bottom, on the page. Teachers might also require children to recognize their names in writing and even to write their names themselves.
To be capable of learning to write, a child must possess the fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination necessary to color with crayons, use scissors and hold a pencil. He might also be able to mimic writing through drawing or scribbling. A child who is ready to read should be familiar with the mechanics of opening a book and how a book is read, even if he is just pretending to read.
The ability to sit still and a willingness to learn are also considered preliteracy skills. Children should exhibit the discipline, interest and attention span necessary to listen to a story being read, and to focus on the letters and words they will try to write and read. Essentially, a child who desires to read and write can succeed in doing so.