Early literacy
Early literacy includes all the phases of learning processes which children go through as they grow. This normally begins with children of about 5-8 years although others begin earlier depending on individual parenting. The goal in early literacy is to help kids to be fluent and instill in them reading skills. This also helps the kids to be able to think and be able to effectively communicate (Missal & Cadigan, 2012). Early literacy should be enjoyable in order to keep the child’s alert and attentive.
With early literacy, children are exposed to reading and writing which gives them an understanding that written language carries information. These helps them create a desire to learn and love reading. Creativity is also boosted with the use of picture books through which the kids are able to create a story and using pictures. Here letter names and sounds are mastered which helps the children to associate the sounds with the letters easily.
Early literacy can be effective for kindergarten kids to improve the children’s ability to learn and store information. This begins with books that have very easy and simple to understand stories. Pictures are important as they are effective in attracting children’s attention. For a child to succeed academically, it depends on how he she has been prepared for school (Cristofaro & Tamis-LeMonda, 2012). Early literacy skills begin at home as opposed to the ancient beliefs that a student’s success depended on the first grade teacher’s inputs.
Effective early literacy
Effective early literacy programs have a lot of advantages and benefits to the children. It helps children to learn how to write and read in both English and their native languages as well. Speaking, reading and writing are the essence of literacy. Teachers have a responsibility to create ways in which children can be able to understand. This includes modification of presentation when exposing the children to vocabulary. Use of visual aids, repetition and rephrasing for example can be very useful for students who do not speak English as their first language.
The ultimate social and academic lives of children depend highly on the level of early literacy acquired during growth. Since early childhood is the stage where verbal communication and writing skills are developed faster, it is essential that little kids are exposed to variety of literacy experiences to enhance their growth on a daily basis. The children class rooms should be surrounded with an environment that depicts and promotes language in form of both spoken and written.
Kindergarten teachers are accountable for ensuring that children understand the diversity of language and literacy as well as supporting children’s early literacy development. Literacy culture starts immediately a child is born and builds up rapidly as the child joins preschool. The main pillars of literacy are listening, speaking, reading, and writing. During a child’s growth, these components of growth should be emphasized in every aspect of their growth.
Kids begin to show interest in literacy related activities even before they are able to read or write. Children should be provided with environments that encourage literacy exploration and their emergent reading and writing behaviors should be valued and supported by their teachers (McCloskey, 2012). In the absence of literacy programs, both teachers and the learning children would find it very difficult to pass on information. Literacy is what gives the kids the ability to read, write, listen and speak the written language (Brace, et al, 2011).
Literacy commences at home as children are taught how to speak in order to relay a massage (Davison, 2007). Children go to school to enhance their literacy skills through vigilant lesson arrangement, planned activities and kind words by their teachers which encourages the kids to learn. Parents depend on teachers to influence the children daily progress and growth and for them to teach their kids the necessary skills of life by use of teaching techniques.
Illiteracy results at an Early Age
Children readiness to begin schooling is determined by the parent’s initiative to introduce their children to the world of books. If a child is not well prepared for schooling from an early stage, this may impact their performance later in life in academic activities. Illiteracy is the by extension leads to poverty which in the long run may result to criminal activities. An illiterate population is undesirable at all costs and that is why the early literacy programs should be given the due attention.
One technique of being reactive to kids is to build up schedules that give them steadiness in their program and emphasize on personal ethics. Parents and caretakers can distribute the routine program with rhyme and rhythms (Wohlwend, 2012). Sounds and words, even as we respond to their initiations, prepare a foundation for school-age literacy development.
Parents want to see their children succeed academically doing everything possible to make this happen. The goals of a teacher is however to make sure the child gets the most out of this programs and even more. We always need to be reviewing the early literacy programs we subject our children to make sure they are effective and suitable for them. My candid opinion is that literacy development can be acquired from an education curriculum.
I think that television can be used as an asset if children are allowed and exposed to informative programs. Television in so many ways promotes literacy and can be very informative if the right use is affected. Children can learn a lot from the numerous children programs that specialize in children literacy. However the parents must be keen to make sure they select and choose the programs that are appropriate for children.
Sitting down and watching the program with the children is also helpful for the child since it provides a child with the opportunity to ask question and get clarification for things he or she does not understand. The objective of television should not be used as an alternative to children literacy rather as way to enhance the children understanding and better their development in knowledge. Children movies can also be a better way of educating and exposing the children’s mind to new ideas.
Early literacy is essentially the most important aspect of a Childs growth in preparation to their growth academically. In preparation for schooling, children will feel more comfortable to interact with others if they already are exposed to the environment of studying and have been taught how to communicate (Davidson, 2012). Most of the children find it difficult to interact in school because they have what I would call “culture shock.” Preparing the child through exposure to learning material gives the child confidence and helps to introduce the child to the learning process. Once in school, the child will have already gotten used to asking and answering questions.
References
Cristofaro, T., & Tamis-LeMonda, C. S., (2012). Mother-child conversations at 36 months and at pre-kindergarten: Relations to children’s school readiness. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy. 3, 68-97. Web.
Davidson, C., (2012). Seeking the green basilisk lizard: Acquiring digital literacy practices in the home. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy. 13, 24-45. Web.
McCloskey, E., (2012). Inclusion as an instructional approach: Fostering inclusive writing communities in preschool classrooms. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy. 42, 46-47. Web.
Missal, K.N., McConnell, S. R., & Cadigan, K., (2006). Early Literacy Development: Skill Growth and Relations between Classroom Variables for Preschool Children. Journal of Early Intervention. 29, 1-21. Web.
Wohlwend, K, E., (2012). Are You Guys Girls? Boys, Identity Texts, and Disney Princess Play. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy. 1, 3-23. Web.