Did you know that a child can begin learning a language right from birth? This recent research goes against what society has believed for hundreds of years. This particular stage is known as ’emergent learning’. To foster this early stage of learning, families, and caregivers are encouraged to talk, tell stories, and sign to the child regularly. By surrounding the child with language (rather than the usual baby talk), they are given a head start in literacy development.
Literacy development is the basis of all learning subjects. Literacy refers to reading, writing, and communication skills. Good communication skills help children communicate their needs and feelings with others. As your child grows, you can assist with literacy development through various ways.
Encouraging literacy development
- Read to your child.
-A love of nightly bedtime stories is something children the world over have in common. Create interest by letting your child see, touch, and play with the book while you read. The association of reading with spending quality time with the parent or caregiver will enforce wishing the child a strong emotional connection with reading. Allow your child to choose their own books, and encourage them to interact with the story as you read.
Be a reading role model.
-If your child sees you reading, they will be more inclined to want to read themselves. As your child gets older and is able to read alone, you could even set aside set ‘reading time’ every time where everyone in the family reads together.
Encourage story telling.
-Children love stories, even long before they are able to read. Encourage their interest in storytelling without imposing any restrictions. Let the child explore their story and share it with you. You can encourage them to act it out, or you can even write down the story they share with you to read or retell at a later date.