5 tips for boosting reading/writing skills in your kindergartener
It is essential for your kindergartener to connect writing with reading. after all, they say reading is fundamental, and so is writing. In the 21st century, where STEM skills are necessary, and this world is becoming more 'technologized', the skill of writing is not going anywhere. At the college level, students are still expected to digest a 30 page chapter per week, per class and write 20 page papers for final/midterms. So, how can we start? Well it's never too soon! Here are some tips to begin the journey of reading/writing with your child:
1. Expose your child to real experiences. Anything from a 'nature walk' around the neighborhood, to a supermarket run to driving on the highway exposes your child to new vocabulary and connects concepts. Experiences like this are interdisciplinary in that they involve many subjects from Social Studies (think Geography, maps, places) to Math and Science (measurement, money, climate and air pressure differences).
2. Model reading and overall healthy habits! Believe it or not, the saying "Do as I say, not what I do!" is a misnomer. This never held true because as much as we wanted to have children do as we say, they watched all other details about who we are and how we act. Children develop habits from what they see around them. So if we write holiday cards, write notes, write to do lists, type emails or read anything from a newspaper and a supermarket circular to a magazine or novel, we can ensure that children are watching positive habits!
3. Read lots of books to your children! Anything from bedtime stories or taking a book with you as you wait in the waiting room to be seen by a doctor is quality time! Your child needs the bonding time with you as well as a model of how reading sounds like and looks like. Rest assured that they will want to replicate your habits you modeled. Don't be surprised, in fact, encourage it if your child wants to play 'teacher'(Yes, even for boys)!
4. Make your house literacy bound! When your child is sad/excited/has developed any strong emotion about a moment they experienced, this is the time when you would encourage them to write a letter to that person while you give them a "word bank" of words spelled out so they can use and apply to their letter. Writing anything is a start! My daughter loves to make supermarket lists and make her own recipes. Know what your child gravitates towards and develop ANY writing from there! (Even if it's using colored markers or pens to write their name or a word you give them, many times) Then post it on the refridgerator, taped by their bedside, anywhere that is visible and that will develop pride and increase self esteem in writing!
5. Make a workspace anywhere in your home they can always go to in order to do some 'work'. This space should be comfortable and have materials such as paper/a writing workbook, a notebook, and pencils/pens, everything that he/she will need to get their thoughts down and let their ideas go from a brainstorm to print. This will also keep them out of your hair if you train them to use this space, first by modeling (remember children learn by seeing first, then doing).
