Parent as the first teacher

From the moment your child is born his/her brain is developing at a rapid rate.  80% of total brain development occurs in the first 3 years of life!  It is essential that we take advantage of this rapid development and ensure that our children have the best start possible.  Learning does not begin in Kindergarten,  it begins at birth.  This blog is going to provide tips, practices, sample storytimes, fingerplays and anything else that you can do at home to give your child the best start possible. 

The five early practices that children must do in order to become successful readers are:  READING, PLAYING, SINGING, TALKING, and WRITING.*  You can practice all of these from birth! 

READING:

• Reading together with your children is the most important way to help them get ready to read.
• Make book sharing time a special time.
• Let your child see you reading and enjoying books.
• Give books as gifts.
• Visit your public library often.
• Children who enjoy being read to are more likely to want to learn to read themselves.
• Read together and talk about what you read.

TALKING:

•  Talk to your child about what your are doing.
•  Tell your child stories
•  Talk in the language you're most comfortable speaking
•  Ask questions even if you child does not have the words to answer
•  Respond to your babies babbles
•  Add more words to what your child says

SINGING: 

• Songs are a natural way to learn about language
• Songs help children recognize the rhythms and rhymes of spoken language
• Songs help children break down language into separate words.
• Singing can also slow down language for children to clearly hear.
• Clapping along with a song helps children sense the rhythm of words.
• Singing helps children learn new words.

PLAYING:

• Play is one of the primary ways young children learn about the world and language.
• Play helps children practice putting their thoughts into words.
• Playing should include talking with your child.  Ask them what they're doing.
• Play is how children practice becoming adults.
• Play allows children to practice sharing and taking turns.

WRITING:

• Writing and Reading go together!
• Scribbling and drawing are forms of writing.
• Scribbling and drawing help children learn the control they need to hold a pencil.
• Writing your child's name lets them see letters in something familiar.
• Writing doesn't always have to be writing- it can be tracing in sand, playing with clay or play dough, or crinkling up newspaper to help strengthen finger muscles.

*from Every Child Ready to Read, ALSC, PLA 2011