Promoting language and literacy development: Ages 3 to 5
Between the ages of 3 and 5, children hit a variety of developmental milestones, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During these crucial preschool years, your students hone and expand their language and literacy skills. Mastering language use at a young age is an essential step in laying the groundwork for future academic achievements.
Language development
Most children have a lot of experience with language and speaking by age 3. By this time, they should be able to grasp the meaning behind most sentences and basic pronouns, prepositions and word structures. They may even begin showing creativity with their language, forming phrases or sentences to describe words they don't know yet. Broccoli are "little trees." Cows are "big dogs." By the time your students are 6, they should be able to recall details about themselves, use future tense and tell coherent stories.
Literacy development
Preschool is when children begin to learn how to read or gain a phonological awareness. They may begin to distinguish individual sounds and start recognizing the various sounds each letter can make. To promote authentic literacy development and make reading fun, follow these two tips:
- Read aloud every day: If you want your students to read, you must first model good behavior. Start your class or certain lessons by reading a fun story. Ask your students to pick out a new book each week that you can read a little bit from each day.
- Let students choose what they read: Set up reading stations around your classroom where your students can choose what and when they want to read. If you give them more independence while subtly encouraging them to read, they will enjoy it more.
At ProSolutions Training, we offer online child care courses on the subjects of language and literacy. Contact us today for more information on our "Language & Literacy Package."
