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| Early reading. |
Parents will be anxious and prioritise reading words for their children. Some will even teach their children words that their peers are not learning yet. While there is no right or wrong when it comes to educating children on reading, here are some tips for parents who want to kickstart their child's reading journey.
1. Have Regular Storytelling Sessions
There is nothing cosier than reading a book together with your mummy or daddy. A child loves that close proximity, while unknowingly learning about sight words and sentence structure. The best way to teach a child to have a love for reading is to role-model the behaviour, and before you know it, your child will be reading more books than you have. That is when regular trips to the best place with books will begin.
2. Visit The Local Library
While not every parent or family can afford the luxury of $20 picturebooks, every adult has access to free books at the library. Even teachers pay a visit to the library regularly to stock up on books for their students. It is a fun experience, especially if a parent visits the library with their child. Just kindly ensure your child obeys the library rules.
3. Limit The Screen Time
Yes, it is the obvious choice to show videos or digital content when it comes to modern parenting. We have seen how parents shove phones at toddlers to keep them quiet. But this is doing more harm than good. Children need that physical experience of a book. Screens will pose behavioural issues that you definitely do not want further down the road.
4. Use Environmental Print
Step into a preschool or childcare and you will definitely find labels such as "Table", "Chair", or "Bottles". These are not just for identifying objects, but also to teach words to children. You can consider labelling the items and furniture in your house, so your child can pick up words organically.
5. Speak To Your Child In Proper Sentences
Reading, writing, and speaking can all develop simultaneously. It is a myth that writing is the most difficult and thus must be learned later.
6. Encourage Free Writing
You can read my article
here on invented spelling. It is a useful and simple way to teach children how to write, and it is also based on their interests.
7. Follow your child's pacing
While it is tempting to rush your child, especially if they are not hitting certain milestones, be patient and let your child develop their literacy skills on their own terms.
8. Understand your child's interests
As an adult, you will have things you like and dislike. How would you feel if someone forced you to do something you dislike? The same goes for your child. You can use your child's interests to get them to learn literacy. Read his or her favourite books. Write a story about their favourite characters. The possibilities are endless.
9. Provide developmentally appropriate materials
If your child is still a toddler, it is too much to expect them to be able to read novels. Or if your child is in K2, you can use graphic novels that have a good balance of words and pictures. As we understand that every child is different, never feel pressured into buying the same books that your child's peers are reading.
10. Enjoy the process with your child
Lastly, your child needs your care and support. Even if language is not your thing, you can make the effort to be present in your child's life.
