Literacy

Literacy is a key element of your child's early development. Reading and writing are interconnected skills, which all children need to master, to succeed academically. You can develop your child's early reading and writing skills in many ways, the most powerful of which is through stories. 

 

Exposing your child to picture books and rhymes, from a young age, is an extremely beneficial tool for early literacy development. As children read and are read to, they develop their vocabulary, listening skills, knowledge of letter sounds and awareness of sentences structures. 

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Simple ways to develop early literacy skills include:

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• Making a range of books accessible to your child, from board books for very young children to short stories for older children.

• Arranging regular trips to your local library so your child can access story and rhyme time sessions and select books.

• Setting aside time for a story each day.

• Familiarising yourself with the reading approach your child's school is following, for example, Jolly Phonics. 

• Offering opportunities for letters and sounds activities such as alphabet puzzles, word and picture pair games and flashcards.

• Supporting your child to recognise and read print in the environment, such as shop logos, street names etc.

• Playing games which incorporate knowledge of letters and sounds such as I-Spy.

• Reading regularly as an adult, to foster and model a love of reading within the family. 

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