We rarely worry about whether our children will learn to talk or not, and sure enough, somewhere around 16 - 18 months they start to chatting away with seemingly little effort from us. But for some reason the idea of learning to read drives us to purchase worksheets and flashcards for our little ones! The question is, is this worry necessary?
Ultimately, learning to read is an important milestone for our children. Most children learn to read sometime between 5 and 7. Reading, and reading well, is vital for success in school and life.
So, how do we support our children, and when do we start? Literacy learning starts right from birth, and occurs in a very similar way to oral language learning. Children learn to talk when they are surrounded by meaningful language-- especially dialogue that occurs between parent or caregiver and child. Much like a tennis game, back-and-forth dialogue between a child and an attentive adult teaches a child that language is communication between people. It carries meaning and it helps to build a relationship, even when the child's side of the conversation consists of babbles and squeals.
Similarly, children learn the early foundational literacy skills when they are surrounded by meaningful print language-- books, signs and more. When we write a shopping list for the groceries, type out an email, read a book or use street signs to find the right road, we use print language for meaningful purposes. And for children, meaningful print is important print. When it's important to you, it becomes important to them, and they become interested and therefore motivated to learn about it.
How do we help you child use meaningful print language at school? Right from the start you will see print used in your child's classroom. Areas of the room are labeled-- "blocks," "dramatic play," or "science center." Children's ideas are written down on lists posted around the room or on their paintings or drawings. Children write letters to thank visitors for coming to their classroom. Bins for toys are labeled with the names of the contents to help children clean up. Stories are read and enjoyed.
How can you use meaningful print at home? Talk with your child about print when you use it. If you're making a grocery list, announce to your child, "I'm making a list of things we need to buy at the grocery store. Can you help me think of things we need to include?" As your child helps you with items, let her watch you write them on the list. When driving, ask your children help you find the street sign for your road. At the department store, tell them you're looking for the "men's" clothing, and point out the signs hanging from the ceiling. And of course, read, read, read! Read to them; read for pleasure; let them see you read for all kinds of reasons. Make print important in your home - important for you and important for your children.
Learning to read can seem complex, but there are lots of things you can do to help. This is just the start! Next time, I'll share about the role of vocabulary-building and experience in learning to read.
How do you make print meaningful in your home?
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