Early Literacy - A Crucial Aspect of Child Development

There's nothing more important than our children, and getting them the best education is a key step in providing them with the best possible future. A number of crucial building blocks that help build a foundation for learning should be laid down as early as possible. Literacy is something that helps fuel the ability and the desire to learn. Early childhood care should help to facilitate a thirst for knowledge while laying these foundations for learning.

Early Literacy

There's much more to literacy than just the alphabet, and the right learning environment can have a huge impact on the way that your child develops literacy skills. Early literacy skills can mean your child starts reading and writing earlier and that they attain a better understanding of English and its intricacies.

One of the very first steps along this path is learning to talk. Language allows us to communicate ideas and even through crying an infant will discover that they can influence and alert those nearby what he or she wants and needs.

Stories and learning

Reading to your child and a preschool where stories and books play a central role helps build the understanding of writing, reading, letters and how stories work. When your child starts to take an interest in books and the stories that you read, they're more likely to pick up these understandings faster, so make sure you're choosing books that they like.

In preschools and daycare centres, rhyming songs and games also help to teach oral language skills as well. Children pick up the rhythms of English and they start to hear the different sounds that make up words.

Writing and drawing

Pencils, crayons and paper help children to communicate their ideas. Scribbles quickly become pictures and, to better describe what's on the paper, children learn to write simple words as well. A lot of drawing practice will help your child master the techniques required to write those difficult letters - be as encouraging as possible and set aside time for drawing and writing every day.

Preschools often take a hands-on approach to teaching writing skills as well. Most will practice writing individual letters and build up to the point where each child is able to write their own name.

These early literacy skills are integral to helping your child become a competent learner later on. Reading and writing are the two core elements of learning at a primary level, and it's this practice during early development that really helps children be prepared.

Little Wonders Childcare Centres can be found throughout NZ, check out our website today.

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