When raising children, it can feel like there are endless boxes to tick and expectations to fulfill. Knowing what your child should be able to do before they start school is a big factor that can feel daunting to navigate.
Literacy skills are fundamental and pivotal when it comes to education and engaging in our community. So, it stands to reason that you might be wondering when your child should be hitting certain milestones in terms of their reading ability. Will they be able to keep up with their classes? Will they have the same opportunities as their peers? Will the amount they know now affect their long-term prospects?
‘When can my child start school?’ and ‘are they ready?’ are significant questions for parents and guardians. At Chatterbox, we are experienced in helping children expand their literacy skills and can help guide you regarding your child’s reading skills.
Is My Child Ready To Read?
Working on language development before children go to school is critical. There are many skills that children need to have before they can take part in education successfully. This does not necessarily include the ability to read.
There’s no doubt that literacy is a major building block for learning in childhood and beyond. However, the growing expectation that children should be able to read before starting school can place immense pressure on parents and children, which can be harmful and detrimental. What’s more, school age can vary between states and countries, even by years. So, it is important to be mindful of focusing on your child’s development and opportunities rather than comparing what other kids can do when they begin school. Rich language exposure can be infinitely beneficial, whether or not a child can read and no matter their age.
Some research demonstrates that late readers generally do catch up to early readers in terms of comprehension ability. That said, children who can read at least at a basic level when they reach school often begin with more confidence, self-esteem, and independence, which can bolster their learning experience.
If you are concerned with your child’s language development, talking to a speech pathologist at Chatterbox could be helpful for you and your child. We can assess your child, identify underlying factors that may be making it difficult for them, and develop a plan to assist them.
How To Help Your Child Learn To Read
Babies and young children can benefit greatly from being read to because this involves exposure to vocabulary, phonics, and other language essentials. If your child is displaying an enthusiasm to take a more active part, encouraging them can certainly be beneficial. This may include letting them turn the pages and helping them track the words with their fingers as you read to them. If your child does not seem ready or interested in doing this, be supportive and try to keep the atmosphere around reading enjoyable and low-stress. Heavily academic or high-pressure settings often do not suit very young children and using child-appropriate learning styles generally has more positive outcomes, such as play-based learning and observation.
There are many options when it comes to helping your child learn to read. Some of the methods you can use with your child include the following:
- Create a reading routine. This can involve activities such as reading to your child, role-playing, encouraging them to retell or create simple stories, and discussing the pictures in the book as you read. This time is more valuable if it is fun, so don’t be afraid to make silly noises, act out characters’ movements, or pull funny faces!
- Use alphabet books and charts, and activities such as matching spoken rhymes, to help your child learn letters and identify the sounds that correlate.
- Sound out words together and point to them as you read. Learning phonics, how letters sound, is major groundwork for reading.
- Expose your child to sight words, such as my, and, did, up. You could do activities such as using flashcards and playing multisensory games.
- Don’t be worried about big words. Books can often use words that we may not choose when talking to children. This gives your child a chance to see and hear those words, and though you may not think they will understand or remember them, it still adds to the development of their language skills.
Support Your Child Towards Reading
We all want children to have equal opportunities and a level playing field when it comes to education. What happens before school can be pivotal to long-term outcomes. However, this should not come at the expense of children’s confidence and learning enjoyment. Being patient with your child, exposing them to language and reading matters, and giving them the freedom to go at their own rate without criticism or unrealistic expectations can be immensely advantageous.
Research differs regarding the importance of literacy ability prior to school, but most people will agree that a motivating, encouraging, empowering language-rich environment with access to reading opportunities is a priority.
If you would like help to know the best ways to support your child and help them acquire reading skills, or you are worried about their development, organise an appointment with one of our friendly childrens speech pathologists.