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The early years lay the foundation for lifelong success. A child absorbs information more quickly than at any other stage of a person’s life. Literacy skills are first learned through spoken words from a parent to a child, from the moment they are born. Children will develop certain literacy skills just by being in the world, but others require intentional teaching strategies.
At Heritage House Early Education Centres, we understand how valuable early literacy education is for school readiness and beyond. Our experienced educators have worked with children of all different capabilities to enhance their literacy skills. We’ve outlined some of the key benefits of early literacy education to emphasise the importance of investing in quality childcare.
Literacy is the ability to read, write, and speak, allowing us to communicate effectively. It is an essential life skill that allows us to connect with others in our community and access new information. Activities that develop early literacy include:
Regularly practising a combination of these will build literacy and comprehension skills, which will set your child up for successful lifelong learning.
Early literacy stimulates rapid brain development by forging millions of neural pathways. Every second, the brain forms 700-1,000 new synaptic connections, with most of the brain’s overall development occurring before the age of five. In these formative years, children learn language and social interactions. It also lays the foundation for a child’s capacity to absorb information and learn from it in the future. Literacy education supports cognitive development by reinforcing language patterns. Speaking with your child encourages them to deduce meaning from your conveyed emotion and mannerisms. Thus, speaking with your child is an invaluable activity that will have ongoing effects.
Early literacy education teaches children many valuable social skills. By reading stories and communicating in front of them, children will gauge an understanding of how people use their words to interact. It will also highlight group dynamics and how language can change depending on who someone is communicating with. Their vocabulary will naturally expand as they hear words in different contexts.
Reading, writing, and interpreting require strong concentration, especially for young minds. They have to track words, interpret tone and identify signals. Regarding storytelling, children have to follow along and deduce meaning. This strengthens their capacity to focus across different periods of time.
Children with strong literacy skills are more likely to be outgoing and contribute to classroom discussions. This is because they are self-assured and can explain why they think what they do. Even if they don’t understand a topic, they have the skill set to ask questions about it. Early literacy education also allows children to develop relationships more quickly, connecting with others through language. The right preschool program will encourage children to ask questions and talk about their feelings, building their confidence in who they are.
At Heritage House, we follow the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and provide exceptional care to children. Early Literacy education specifically targets Learning Outcome 1 and Learning Outcome 5, which are:
Early literacy also contributes to the other outcomes as it is a crucial life skill and means of accessing information.
Our educators apply tailored literacy plans to each child, allowing them to learn new skills at their own pace. With 30 years of experience, Heritage House empowers children in their early education. We ensure that children are making the most of their early years by focusing on developing a growth mindset. This means that children are continually progressing, becoming confident and capable learners.
Talk to our friendly team today or book a tour at a centre near you to see how your child can benefit from an early education at Heritage House.