Why we aren’t teaching your child to
read at the ECLC.
Parents and caregivers are sometimes anxious about their child’s
success and achievement in school. We live in a competitive society and find
ourselves thinking about college applications while our kids are still learning
to use the big kid potty. So, why aren’t the preschoolers at the ECLC tracing letters
on worksheets and memorizing sight words? Because brain science has come a long
way. And, we know now that some skills emerge later for a reason.
Children learn differently before age eight than they do
after age eight[1]. Preschoolers are still on the younger side of
even the early part of the early learning
spectrum. Research has shown that developmentally appropriate practice in
preschool is primarily about ensuring that the children feel safe and have fun
so that they can learn. Preschoolers don’t
learn on demand. Teachers play with the children, and introduce play into their
lessons, intentionally. Our teachers document children’s learning through
drawings, photos, or notes on a child’s progress.
A preschool teacher’s job is to make sure preschoolers love
books. These are the questions we ask ourselves:
1. Do the children choose books on their own?
This indicates that the children are finding things that
interest them in the pages of a book.
2. Do the children hold the book so that the print is upright
and the cover is facing the front?
This is an indication of a child’s growing awareness of
print.
3. Do the children ask questions during story time and build
upon the stories?
This indicates an understanding of content.
4. Do the children pretend-write or draw pictures illustrating
what they have learned?
This shows that the children have made the connection that
letters represent sounds and meaning.
Focus, tracking, depth perception, and other aspects of
vision continue to develop throughout early and middle childhood. Convergence,
the ability of both eyes to focus on an object simultaneously, becomes more
fully developed by about age seven[2].
Children simply are not ready to read in preschool. There are exceptions, of
course. But, introducing reading too early can actually backfire. There are
many skills that a child needs to hone before reading and writing, such as fine
motor development and letter knowledge. Practicing and learning those skills will
help set a child on track to be a successful reader.
So, what can you do? Since a child’s vision continues to
develop during their preschool years, it is important to continue to help in
their development. Help your child by reading a book out loud and letting him/her
see the words and pictures on the page. Have your child explore the world of
arts and crafts. Stimulating their imagination will also stimulate their
eyesight.[3]
[1]
Tomlinson, Heather Biggar. “Explaining Developmentally Appropriate Practice to
Families”. Teaching Young Children Vol 9 No 2. p. 16 -17.
[2]
Turbert, David Ed. “Vision Development in Preschool and School-Aged Children”. American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/children-vision-development.
May 22, 2017.
[3] “Learning
to See – Children’s Vision by Age”.
Davis Vision. http://library.davisvision.com/2015/12/14/learning-to-see-childrens-vision-by-age.
February 15, 2015
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