Reading from a Young Age Matters

A picture is the first content of a book that a child can „read“. Thanks to pictures, a child can understand a story without knowing how to read, interpreting the main figures/animals, the environment, and the situations from the visuals. From illustrated facial expressions and body language the child can also tell emotions.

Enjoying a good book raises a love and passion that is necessary for prereading skills.

Letters all around your home

Babies a few months old can differentiate shapes. For them letters are simply another shape like a triangle, tree or a sun. Try to include them in your home as much as possible. How?

Decorate your home with 2 letters, after some time change one for another one.
Arrange letters using carrot or cucumber peels while preparing vegetables with your child.
Draw letters in sand.

Rhyme as much as possible

A large knowledge of nursery rhymes helps children realize that words are made up of separate sounds.

Read illustrated books with your child from an early age – describe pictures, shapes, colours, and emotions.
Find, describe and match objects that rhyme such as spoon - moon, cat - hat, dog - frog.
Enjoy nursery rhyme books such as "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?", "The Going to Bed Book", "The Snail and the Whale", ...

Use baby sign language

Support your child in being an active reader or a communication partner by teaching them baby signs. Baby signs are simple gestures substituted for words. Mastering baby signs helps the child to build self-esteem and increases the joy of being able to express themselves.

Around 1 year, your child will be able to „tell“ you that he/she sees a cat, sun, wants to drink milk or feels pain. ”Baby signers show early signs of loving books and they are able to master prereading skills at early age.“

So, let your child jump onto your lap and read together! Such moments significantly help to develop:

Attention: giving children face to face interaction and being playful helps children pay attention better and longer.
Bonding: learning and memory are enhanced in a secure and loving environment which positively influences the primal parts of a child’s brain.
Communication: loving communication with your child increases their ability to speak and read soon

Lenka Míkovcová – IMSP Primary Teacher Assistant

Want to learn more? Read our next article:

ABSORBENT MIND – A KEY PRINCIPLE IN MONTESSORI

References:

Bright from the start, Jill Stamm, PhD, Paula Spencer, Gotham Books, 2007
Baby Minds – Linda Acredolo, Susan Goodwyn / Bantam Books, 2000

Gallery
Comments

Další články

Dealing with Emotions Through Art

“Social and emotional learning(SEL) is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.”

Freedom and the Montessori Classroom

“To give a child liberty is not to abandon him to himself."

Tidy Up! An Activity Your Toddler Will Love

Looking at our Toddler classrooms, even a casual observer will notice that half of the children’s time seems to be spent cleaning. They’re busy sweeping, wiping, mopping, scrubbing and brushing; even almost antiquated activities, such as washing laundry by hand or polishing wood and metal objects, have their place.

Helping your Toddler on their Path of Development

Parents today are constantly surrounded by images and ideas of what their children should or shouldn’t have and it can be overwhelming trying to decide what is best for their child’s development. Every parent wants to make good decisions when it comes to the items you choose to bring into your home, but how do we know which ones are more or less beneficial than others?

Mindfulness: A Key Part of Our Elementary Curriculum

If you visit the Upper Elementary at IMSP on any school day in the late morning, you would hear a gentle bell ring at around 11:20. The students clean-up, and by 11:30, they gather on the classroom carpet and light a candle. A teacher sets a timer. At the sound of a bell, they begin their 5-minute awareness/mindfulness practice.