The best way to encourage early literacy is……….

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Early Literacy Chatboard

The best way to encourage early literacy is..........

by VET

Jun 6, 2011

A home life that values learning. Children being read to and children seeing parents reading is often a great indicator of children who will succeed in school.

Children who do not have these advantages usually start off "behind" and often have difficulty keeping and/or caching up.

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Jo On 6/10/11, Sara wrote: > On 6/07/11, or .............. wrote: >>> I used the words from your post and simply changed your >>> word "parent" to "teacher". Its a fallacy that children from >>> low SE backgrounds can't succeed. 75 percent of my kids came >>> in this year not knowing one letter or one sound, and ...See More

Jun 10, 2011

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VET to or.......... lease reread my post. I did NOT say that "children from low SE backgrounds can't succeed".

Do you actually think a teacher can always overcome a child's lack of being from a home that values learning and did not expose children to books and reading? WOW!

What level are the 25 per cent who knew letters, sounds etc. reading on? Seco...See More

Jun 11, 2011

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Karen M. On 6/06/11, VET wrote: > A home life that values learning. Children being read to > and children seeing parents reading is often a great > indicator of children who will succeed in school. > > Children who do not have these advantages usually start off > "behind" and often have difficulty keeping and/or caching up.

What V...See MoreOn 6/06/11, VET wrote: > A home life that values learning. Children being read to > and children seeing parents reading is often a great > indicator of children who will succeed in school. > > Children who do not have these advantages usually start off > "behind" and often have difficulty keeping and/or caching up.

What VET said is extremely important. Children copy what they see. They learn what to consider valuable by what the adults around them consider valuable.

Children being read to...there is a solid body of research which shows that a child who has been read to enters school with a larger oral (speaking) vocabulary, a larger aural (hearing) vocabulary, and a larger written/emergent print vocabulary. Children who have consistently been read to develop a love for "story". They have already developed a love for learning. They have already learned that you can learn from books, and knowledge is power.

Children entering school who have been read to have already learned to value books. Children who see older children and adults around them READING have already learned that this is an activity of VALUE, and that it is something to emulate.

Yes, children who have been read to DO have advantages over children who have not been read to. Children who have not been read to usually do start formal schooling behind, and usually do spend a large amount of school time catching up. This is one of the reasons behind the First Start, First Steps, and Head Start Programs in the United States. They've made tremedous strides in offering quality preschool education to many children.

Is it too late for children who were not able to take advantage of Head Start and who come from homes where reading is not valued (even if learning is)?? No, it's just harder for those children to catch up. Not impossible, just harder. What about those children who come from homes of advantage? The suburban, upper middle class homes who seem to have everything, and yet the parents are clueless and the child seems at a loss? Are those parents reading to their child every day? Do those parents value reading or do they value their iphones, Wii, and designer clothes more? It is not just children from low sec that arrive in Kindergarten at a disadvantage. Those other children will also have to catch up.

A Kindergarten program that is rich in word play is vital. Teachers talking to students, having conversations with them on a daily basis. Teaching songs, poems, rhymes, nursery rhymes, movement songs. Reading aloud to children, as many as 3-4 books every day. Using those books as springboards for other activities: comparing/contrasting two similar stories, story and music activities, story and art activities. Providing choral reading activities, guided reading activities, independent recitation activities, and independent reading activities. Teaching the very young child how to express themselves through writing. ALL of it is important.

At the same time, parents need to be taught that reading is a valued activity. They need to be taught to turn off the tv and video games and sit down for a quiet activity with their child. They need to be encouraged to go to their public library and take advantage of the FREE activities there. (In the summer, free and air conditioning are a HUGE bonus.) Parents need to be taught that often, public libraries have stories on tape, cd, video, and dvd, that parents can borrow, not just in English but also in Spanish and depending on the library resources, often available in other languages too. Teachers need to make take home books for children to take home to read at home. Literacy bookbags are another way to bring reading home with children. Sharing websites with parents is yet another way. Making reading an integral part of homework is another way. Teachers need to be doing ALL of this in order to help children and parents learn that reading is a valued activity.

Jun 12, 2011

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Jo I guess what you are saying is parents need to be taught that the school system, in many cases, sets up its curriculum such that if the child doesn't come in with the advantages they will fail. Doesn't that mean that "advantages" aren't really "advantages" but "requirements"? Since public schools can not turn away a child of age and can not require...See MoreI guess what you are saying is parents need to be taught that the school system, in many cases, sets up its curriculum such that if the child doesn't come in with the advantages they will fail. Doesn't that mean that "advantages" aren't really "advantages" but "requirements"? Since public schools can not turn away a child of age and can not required a child have academic skills when they start their formal education, can't we say that many schools are actually setting kids up for failure by not starting their program to build the necessary skills of those that don't come in with "advantages"?

No matter how any system is set up, some will always have advantages, even if the child were taken at birth.

At parent meetings about K, parents always ask, what does my child need to know coming into kindergarten. The answer is the same, every school, every time. Your child must be 5 before (date given). The parent ask again in a different way. Don't they need to know their letters or how to write their name? No, they must be 5 before (date given).

Why, because public education is open to all. Problem is that the curriculum only accounts for those with "advantages".

On 6/12/11, Karen M. wrote: > On 6/06/11, VET wrote: >> A home life that values learning. Children being read to >> and children seeing parents reading is often a great >> indicator of children who will succeed in school. >> >> Children who do not have these advantages usually start off >> "behind" and often have difficulty keeping and/or caching up. > > What VET said is extremely important. Children copy what they > see. They learn what to consider valuable by what the adults > around them consider valuable. > > Children being read to...there is a solid body of research > which shows that a child who has been read to enters school > with a larger oral (speaking) vocabulary, a larger aural > (hearing) vocabulary, and a larger written/emergent print > vocabulary. Children who have consistently been read to > develop a love for "story". They have already developed a > love for learning. They have already learned that you can > learn from books, and knowledge is power. > > Children entering school who have been read to have already > learned to value books. Children who see older children and > adults around them READING have already learned that this is > an activity of VALUE, and that it is something to emulate. > > Yes, children who have been read to DO have advantages over > children who have not been read to. Children who have not > been read to usually do start formal schooling behind, and > usually do spend a large amount of school time catching up. > This is one of the reasons behind the First Start, First > Steps, and Head Start Programs in the United States. They've > made tremedous strides in offering quality preschool education > to many children. > > Is it too late for children who were not able to take > advantage of Head Start and who come from homes where reading > is not valued (even if learning is)?? No, it's just harder > for those children to catch up. Not impossible, just harder. > What about those children who come from homes of advantage? > The suburban, upper middle class homes who seem to have > everything, and yet the parents are clueless and the child > seems at a loss? Are those parents reading to their child > every day? Do those parents value reading or do they value > their iphones, Wii, and designer clothes more? It is not just > children from low sec that arrive in Kindergarten at a > disadvantage. Those other children will also have to catch up. > > A Kindergarten program that is rich in word play is vital. > Teachers talking to students, having conversations with them > on a daily basis. Teaching songs, poems, rhymes, nursery > rhymes, movement songs. Reading aloud to children, as many as > 3-4 books every day. Using those books as springboards for > other activities: comparing/contrasting two similar stories, > story and music activities, story and art activities. > Providing choral reading activities, guided reading > activities, independent recitation activities, and independent > reading activities. Teaching the very young child how to > express themselves through writing. ALL of it is important. > > At the same time, parents need to be taught that reading is a > valued activity. They need to be taught to turn off the tv > and video games and sit down for a quiet activity with their > child. They need to be encouraged to go to their public > library and take advantage of the FREE activities there. (In > the summer, free and air conditioning are a HUGE bonus.) > Parents need to be taught that often, public libraries have > stories on tape, cd, video, and dvd, that parents can borrow, > not just in English but also in Spanish and depending on the > library resources, often available in other languages too. > Teachers need to make take home books for children to take > home to read at home. Literacy bookbags are another way to > bring reading home with children. Sharing websites with > parents is yet another way. Making reading an integral part > of homework is another way. Teachers need to be doing ALL of > this in order to help children and parents learn that reading > is a valued activity.

Jun 12, 2011

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disneycathy On 6/12/11, Jo wrote: > I guess what you are saying is parents need to be taught that the > school system, in many cases, sets up its curriculum such that if > the child doesn't come in with the advantages they will fail. > Doesn't that mean that "advantages" aren't really "advantages" > but "requirements"? Since public schools can n...See MoreOn 6/12/11, Jo wrote: > I guess what you are saying is parents need to be taught that the > school system, in many cases, sets up its curriculum such that if > the child doesn't come in with the advantages they will fail. > Doesn't that mean that "advantages" aren't really "advantages" > but "requirements"? Since public schools can not turn away a > child of age and can not required a child have academic skills > when they start their formal education, can't we say that many > schools are actually setting kids up for failure by not starting > their program to build the necessary skills of those that don't > come in with "advantages"? > > No matter how any system is set up, some will always have > advantages, even if the child were taken at birth. > > At parent meetings about K, parents always ask, what does my > child need to know coming into kindergarten. The answer is the > same, every school, every time. Your child must be 5 before > (date given). The parent ask again in a different way. Don't > they need to know their letters or how to write their name? No, > they must be 5 before (date given). > > Why, because public education is open to all. Problem is that > the curriculum only accounts for those with "advantages". > > On 6/12/11, Karen M. wrote: >> On 6/06/11, VET wrote: >>> A home life that values learning. Children being read to >>> and children seeing parents reading is often a great >>> indicator of children who will succeed in school. >>> >>> Children who do not have these advantages usually start off >>> "behind" and often have difficulty keeping and/or caching up. >> >> What VET said is extremely important. Children copy what they >> see. They learn what to consider valuable by what the adults >> around them consider valuable. >> >> Children being read to...there is a solid body of research >> which shows that a child who has been read to enters school >> with a larger oral (speaking) vocabulary, a larger aural >> (hearing) vocabulary, and a larger written/emergent print >> vocabulary. Children who have consistently been read to >> develop a love for "story". They have already developed a >> love for learning. They have already learned that you can >> learn from books, and knowledge is power. >> >> Children entering school who have been read to have already >> learned to value books. Children who see older children and >> adults around them READING have already learned that this is >> an activity of VALUE, and that it is something to emulate. >> >> Yes, children who have been read to DO have advantages over >> children who have not been read to. Children who have not >> been read to usually do start formal schooling behind, and >> usually do spend a large amount of school time catching up. >> This is one of the reasons behind the First Start, First >> Steps, and Head Start Programs in the United States. They've >> made tremedous strides in offering quality preschool education >> to many children. >> >> Is it too late for children who were not able to take >> advantage of Head Start and who come from homes where reading >> is not valued (even if learning is)?? No, it's just harder >> for those children to catch up. Not impossible, just harder. >> What about those children who come from homes of advantage? >> The suburban, upper middle class homes who seem to have >> everything, and yet the parents are clueless and the child >> seems at a loss? Are those parents reading to their child >> every day? Do those parents value reading or do they value >> their iphones, Wii, and designer clothes more? It is not just >> children from low sec that arrive in Kindergarten at a >> disadvantage. Those other children will also have to catch up. >> >> A Kindergarten program that is rich in word play is vital. >> Teachers talking to students, having conversations with them >> on a daily basis. Teaching songs, poems, rhymes, nursery >> rhymes, movement songs. Reading aloud to children, as many as >> 3-4 books every day. Using those books as springboards for >> other activities: comparing/contrasting two similar stories, >> story and music activities, story and art activities. >> Providing choral reading activities, guided reading >> activities, independent recitation activities, and independent >> reading activities. Teaching the very young child how to >> express themselves through writing. ALL of it is important. >> >> At the same time, parents need to be taught that reading is a >> valued activity. They need to be taught to turn off the tv >> and video games and sit down for a quiet activity with their >> child. They need to be encouraged to go to their public >> library and take advantage of the FREE activities there. (In >> the summer, free and air conditioning are a HUGE bonus.) >> Parents need to be taught that often, public libraries have >> stories on tape, cd, video, and dvd, that parents can borrow, >> not just in English but also in Spanish and depending on the >> library resources, often available in other languages too. >> Teachers need to make take home books for children to take >> home to read at home. Literacy bookbags are another way to >> bring reading home with children. Sharing websites with >> parents is yet another way. Making reading an integral part >> of homework is another way. Teachers need to be doing ALL of >> this in order to help children and parents learn that reading >> is a valued activity.

AMEN Jo! Being read to starting at infancy is the key to success.

Jun 12, 2011

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