Timing is everything when it comes to developing literacy skills, said Michael Towey, a speech language pathologist from Waldo County General Hospital in Belfast.

He helped develop the Early Reading First project. He said research shows that of the children who start school without good literacy skills, 75 percent will never become competent readers.

Children find writing materials in every corner of their bright, spacious classroom at Waldo County Preschool & Family Services.

Magazines, books, phone books, manuals and even field guides, as well as notepads, clipboards and pencils are everywhere, so teachable moments are easy to come by.

For example, as the children play restaurant, “We’d say, ‘Are you going to take my order?’ and we’d encourage them to write down what we eat,” teacher Jana Howard said.

Or, if the children are building a zoo with blocks, they’d be encouraged to create a sign and write the word “zoo.”

“They do it because the paper and pencil are there,” Howard said. “It’s not even a matter of asking. Because it’s available, they do it automatically.”

Even snack time can provide a learning opportunity. As they pop Cheerios into their mouths, children may be asked to spell the name of the cereal. Or they may be asked to figure out if there are letters in the word “cheerios” that are repeated.

The program also includes a read-aloud period. One recent day, the children gathered in a circle to listen to Howard read “Caps for Sale,” a comical tale about a peddler whose collection of caps is filched by some playful monkeys.

Howard pointed out the title and dedication pages and noted the author’s name. She talked about the meaning of the word “peddler” and asked the children to sound out the syllables of various words.

Giggling happily, their feet encased in fuzzy slippers brought from home, the children appeared engrossed in the activity.

“They work with literacy all day long, but they don’t know it because it’s embedded in their play,” said Ruth Southworth, executive director of Waldo County Preschool & Family Services.

“Our challenge is not to push them beyond their developmental functioning levels but to make the information available,” she said. “If they’re ready, they’ll pick it up – if not, they’ll pick up what they’re ready to. Two or three months down the road, as they expand and build on their skill level, they eventually will be ready.”

Searsport Elementary School kindergarten teacher Christine O’Roak said preschool programs such as Early Reading First give children a literacy edge. They have an understanding of how language works and are aware that sounds make words, she said. That means they’re more comfortable with the whole experience of literacy and are ready for formal reading instruction once they enter kindergarten.