Some parents believe that putting a child on a reading scheme as soon as possible will mean that they will do better at school later on - but this is not the case. In fact, pushing a child into formal reading and writing exercises too young can damage the development of literacy. A far more effective way of equipping your child with good literacy skills is by having fun! Some ideas for fun are suggested here.
How does literacy start?
Literacy - reading and writing - develops from communication, which can be spoken or unspoken. When your baby looks into your eyes and gives you a big smile, you can't mistake what he is trying to tell you. Babies use gestures, facial expressions and crying to communicate, and this ability will grow the more you respond in turn. As children get older they also communicate by talking, listening, playing, drawing and making marks.
Literacy has to be real for young children, so they need to see their carers writing shopping lists or e-mails and reading newspapers, letters, books and notices. And they need to get involved too.
Remember: The foundations of literacy are communication and talk, enjoying books and understanding that marks (such as letters and numbers), pictures and print carry messages.
Communication, language and literacy is one of the six areas of learning in the Foundation Stage which has been introduced for three- to five-year-olds in nurseries in England (see Nursery World, 21 September 2000). Nursery staff will do similar activities to these.
What can I do at home?
* Introduce your child to picture books as a young baby. The secret is to be close and comfortable, turn the pages and talk about the pictures. Use the same books over and over again. Encourage your child to look closely at the pictures and touch the pages. Let them take books to bed and on car and bus rides, and join the local public library, especially if you cannot afford books. The National Literacy Trust (www.literacytrust.org.uk) has details of schemes that give free books to pre-schoolers.
* Spend time talking to your child - at meal times, bath time, when you are out and about. Make TV and video viewing a shared activity and talk about what you are watching.
* Sing nursery rhymes and advertising jingles. Play with words and recite bits of poetry. This play with language will be the greatest contribution you can make to your child's understanding of the sounds of letters and words.
* Show your child the print on letters and food packaging and look at street names, posters, road and shop signs.
* Include your child in any writing you do - let them add scribbles to shopping lists and letters.
* Collect scrap paper for painting and drawing, as well as crayons and paints. Watch children make marks - on pastry and playdough, on outside surfaces with water and brushes, on wet sand in playgrounds. Talk about these marks and treat them as serious communications.
* Put your child's name on paintings, cupboards and boxes.
Remember: Parents can be the best teachers of early literacy if they make it fun and get across a sense of real communication.
What about learning the alphabet, the sounds of letters (phonics), flash cards, reading schemes and tracing letters?
* Beautiful alphabet books can stimulate your child's fascination with the initial sounds and letters of familiar objects. Always talk about letters by name and by the 'sounds' they make.
* Flash cards are unhelpful - the best way for children to learn to recognise words is in meaningful contexts. For example, they will quickly recognise the name of their favourite breakfast cereal on the box.
* Avoid reading schemes - use picture stories that stimulate children's imagination and foster a love of books.
* If children have ample opportunities to scribble, draw and paint, they don't need to trace letters. In fact, if they are pushed into copying writing too soon, it is likely to put them off.
Remember: Pushing a child into formal reading and writing exercises can damage the development of literacy.
