Early literacy is most important, teachers explain

By ROSALEEN HEFFERNAN and SAMMI BAKER

Many Catholic elementary schools in the Vancouver Archdiocese are planning Open House events for parents of 3- and 4-year-old children through the Ready, Set, Learn and the Early Learners programs, sponsored by the Ministry of Education. This initiative is intended to build on the many reading activities that are already happening in B.C.'s families and communities.

The program offers information about the typical development of pre-Kindergarten children, including tips for supporting children's learning in key areas of development. Concrete ideas how parents can help preschoolers develop their literacy skills are offered and take-home materials are provided.

The primary teachers at Our Lady of Assumption Elementary School in Port Coquitlam are planning to meet and collaborate with parents to develop the early literacy of their children. Early literacy, the stage of literacy development occurring before children are able to read and write, is essential for school readiness.

From infancy, children begin to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that influence lifelong reading and writing behaviours. These early literacy experiences help children discover the purposes of, and relationships between, speech and print.

Research from the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies indicates that the literacy children have when entering school is an important predictor of their reading and academic success. Pediatricians agree that reading aloud to children helps to stimulate brain development, but research studies conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics indicate that only 50 per cent of infants and toddlers are routinely read to by their parents. Reading with children not only stimulates brain development but also encourages a close emotional relationship between parents and children.

Each Catholic elementary school will offer its own unique approach to assisting parents of the Catholic community help their children prepare for Kindergarten in September. Our Lady of the Assumption School will introduce parents to five key areas of early literacy:

• Oral language: a child's ability to listen to and understand what is being said, as well as to communicate verbally with others.
• Print awareness: knowledge of how the print system works; directionality (left to right, top to bottom); that print can take the form of letters, words, and sentences; and that print has meaning.
• Phonological awareness: awareness of the individual sounds that make up words.
• Alphabet knowledge and writing: the realization that print is used to communicate.
• Narrative skills: the ability to understand and tell stories.

Parents attending the Our Lady of Assumption workshop will also be offered several practical ideas and tips how to assist their children in development of these skills. Some examples include:

• Read aloud regularly. Discuss and describe new words and ideas to help children expand their vocabulary and world knowledge.
• Make up language guessing games. Ask children to name the "mystery fruit" for dessert: "It is round, juicy, and it has a peel."
• Be word explorers. Invite children to look for print in the world around them, from street signs to cereal boxes.
• Play rhyming games: "I spy, something you drink that rhymes with silk."
• Focus on beginning letter sounds with nursery rhymes like Peter Piper, word games like "Look around, what begins with an "rrr" sound?" and silly songs.
• Support children as "message makers." Set up a writing centre stocked with a variety of drawing materials, writing tools, name and word cards, and picture dictionaries so children can create mail, notes, books, and other forms of print.

Learning and practising early literacy skills can and should be FUN. When children and adults read stories, sing songs, have rich conversations, and engage in games, play, and literacy activities together, relationships and a positive feeling toward literacy will develop.

Times and dates of early literacy workshops are available directly from schools. See also the accompanying list in this week's B.C. Catholic.

Rosaleen Heffernan is a Kindergarten teacher and Sammi Baker is a Grade 1 teacher at Our Lady of Assumption School in Port Coquitlam.