Learning Begins Before the School Bell Rings

One minute your child is in diapers and the next you are holding a small hand as you escort her to her first day of kindergarten. Contrary to what many believe, the man or woman you encounter in the classroom is not your child's first teacher. That title belongs to you....the parent.

The success your child encounters once she enters school is determined largely by the experiences she has from birth to age 5. Here are some ways to ensure that your child enters school ready to learn:

Talking to your baby/child is a good way to build his vocabulary and promote academic achievement. Studies have shown that children of lower socio-economic status were exposed less often than children of higher economic status to diverse vocabularly through their parents' attention and speech, and they were prohibited from talking more frequently. These children have smaller vocabularies upon entering school and often have a harder time learning to read and to comprehend what they have read.

It is easy to enlarge your child's vocabulary just by talking to him on a regular, almost constant basis. While running errands, describe objects you spy through the car window. Talk about people and items you see while shopping. Talk about whatever you encounter while pushing your child's stroller through your neighborhood. Sing songs with him and share nursery rhymes on a daily basis. Ask your child questions and really listen to the answers.

Begin reading to your child way before you may think she's ready. The first thing she will learn is that reading is a comforting, fun time with mom or dad. Your baby's first books should be simple with bright pictures and few words on a page. Board books are good for very young children as they can hold up to rough treatment and even a little teething.

Don't worry if you don't have a lot of money to spend on books for your baby. Children tend to have favorite stories they want to hear over and over and over. As your child gets older, the length of the books you read to her can increase, but stick with colorful picture books until she enters school and her attention span can handle small chapter books.

Your child learns things from these early reading experiences that adults take for granted such as the fact that books are read from front to back, text is read from left to right and from top to bottom. They eventually learn that letters are put together to form words and that words mean something.

Another simple thing you can do to help your child in school is practicing counting. Together you can count Cheerios that spill on the kitchen counter or steps as you walk up and down or utility poles you pass while driving.

Point out patterns to your child wherever you see them. Red and yellow stripes on a shirt make an AB pattern. Lay out a fork, knife, spoon, fork, knife, and spoon for an ABC pattern. Children love patterns, and I have read that the human eye tends to seek out patterns in the world around them. Understanding patterns is an essential beginning math skill.

Give your child simple one-step directions. When he has mastered one-step directions, try two-step directions. Being able to follow directions is very important in the classroom.

These are just a few suggestions of ways to help your child become a learner well before you ever register her for school. After all, your child's educational foundation is laid by his first teacher...you!

Source:
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1131404