We have all heard the famous words “Once upon a time” but can you remember the first time you heard them? Parents read to children for many reasons; to bond, to help sleep, to improve reading and most importantly, for fun! Reading and writing are often seen as one of the basics in early education and it’s easy to see why. They constantly crop up in everyday life; from reading road signs to writing out your shopping list. This is why so much importance is placed on children’s literacy skills but exactly why is literacy so important in Early Years?
Communication
Reading aloud to a baby helps to introduce new concepts such as colours, shape, letters by communicating information about the world around them. Amazingly your baby will have learned all the sounds they need to talk before their first birthday! The more you read, the more vocabulary your baby will accumulate and the better they will be able to communicate as they grow.
Emotional and Social Development
When you read aloud your voice automatically changes to convey emotions. This helps children to understand different moods and feelings and through this develop empathy and an ability to express their own emotions. Some stories have a moral and this message is taken on board and can shape their social development and help them build relationships.
Information
Stories are a fantastic source of information. Children are unable to fully explore the world around them but by using literacy from an early age you can introduce different cultures, countries and ideas. The application of words in real experiences provides a tangible aspect of learning such as following a recipe or reading instructions when putting together a model.
Concentration
Spending time reading from an early age will help improve concentration and encourage an appropriate attitude to learning. Having a comfortable area to sit quietly together and read creates an environment to aid listening and concentration giving them practice for learning in the years ahead.
Enjoyment
The most important reason for introducing literacy at an early age is simple; it’s fun! It forms a bond between you and language, encourages imagination and promotes and inspires early reading and writing.
