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This Article is From Apr 15, 2022

Here's How You Can Encourage Early Literacy at Home

Learn how to develop strong early language and literacy skills in your child.

Here's How You Can Encourage Early Literacy at Home
Reading plays an important role in later years; image credit: iStock

Parents often wonder how they can help their children learn to read, and it's no surprise that they're interested in this essential skill. Reading plays a pivotal role in determining success in later school years. According to one study, the basis of how well 7-year-olds read, predicts their earning capacity 35 years later! No matter where your child is in their literacy development, there are some ways you can help them with reading. Here are some practical recommendations for helping kids learn to read.

Take part in fun learning at home

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Taking an active part can develop your child's reading ability, comprehension, and language skills, and also improve your child's interest in reading, and attitude towards it. Technology can help you meet the literacy needs of your children. Serve as an “online teacher.” Talk to your child about different things in creative ways. These talks can amplify language development, build the necessary background knowledge, and help your child develop useful skills eventually.

Engage in literacy activities at home

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This is important for your child's early literacy development. When you engage in joint reading, drawing, singing, storytelling, reciting, game playing, and rhyming, you and your child can take turns doing it in parts. When reading, ask the child to connect to the story, and have her tell you more about what she is deciphering. Give positive feedback from time to time and ask open-ended questions during joint reading to boost her interest and critical thinking skills.

Create a literacy-rich environment

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For young children and infants, nursery rhymes are especially helpful for language and early childhood education.  An online teacher who reads aloud to increase the amount of language your child hears can be helpful in this regard. Hanging different kinds of print around your house or labeling objects in your home can also go a long way in showing the importance of language, reading, and writing. Talk to them about everyday experiences, show them child pictures, and narrate the stories.

Make reading out aloud a regular activity in your home

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Make reading a part of your daily life, and for all you know, kids will learn to love it. It's important to set aside some time when everyone turns off the TV and the internet and does nothing but reading. Make it a fun learning experience, too. When your child finishes reading a book that has been developed into a film, you can make popcorn and sandwiches and watch the movie together. The point to take home is to make reading a regular enjoyable part of your family routine.

Teaching literacy is comparable to teaching other skills

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Parents can successfully teach their kids to eat with a spoon, keep their fingers out of their mouths, and say “thank you.” These things can be taught pleasantly, or they can be made into a painful chore. This notion applies to teaching literacy, too. If you show your 20-month-old a book and she shows no interest, then put it away and come back to it later. If your child tries to write her name and ends up with a backward “B,” no problem. Don't pressurize her. No hassle. You should take joy in the journey, and so should your child.

If you have developed the habit of using a different language at home, speak and read to your child in that language. This can help grow her vocabulary and make connections at school. It can also increase her curiosity and readiness to learn at school. Fun learning opportunities in the mother tongue will also open doors for literacy learning in English.

Your involvement in your child's learning can be one of the most important factors in their academic success. Even something as simple as reading aloud to your student for 15 minutes each day can dramatically help their reading and academic abilities. So, start working on it today!

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