Early Learning Gives Kids Confidence

Confidence levels in children (and adults) is very important to learning and attitudes.

When children are learning to read, write and count self esteem is a huge issue. Frustration will inevitably be felt at various stages of the process by both you and your child. It is vital not to push your child to do something that they really don’t want to do. If they start to build up negative emotions around learning, your role will become much much harder. If you have been going along fine and you reach a rough patch, take a break. You may even want to leave it for a couple of weeks until they miss the adventures that you used to play. It is imperative that learning is enjoyed. This may sound simple, but often children can want to be able to read to impress you and get your approval and get so frustrated with themselves that the books end up getting thrown at the wall. If you can find a way to make learning enjoyable for your child before they begin school, you are giving them such an enormous head start. Research has shown that when children are given a solid foundation of learning between the ages of 3 and 4, they are significantly ahead of their peers when they start school.

If you remember learning to read yourself, you are definitely a minority, but when children start, letters on a page are merely symbols and shapes. If you think about all the symbols and shapes that you encounter in your daily lives, that is A LOT for children to learn, understand and retain. Often they just need time, guidance and a whole lot of fun to learn. From an early age you can make your child aware of the reading process. Always have something around for them to ‘read’ like board books, television guides, magazines, novels. Encourage them to hold the book the right way up and turn the pages. Often children will make up great stories just doing this and looking at the pictures.

At my tutoring centre I specialise in helping children learn to read. It is a long process, especially if bad habits have been formed prior. Beginning your child in their reading journey before starting school you have the opportunity to build the foundations of their knowledge that will last a life time. When they finally string together those sentences and you can see the look of excitement on their face, there is no prouder moment.

Everyone has a different theory and a different technique to teaching reading. Throughout a child’s learning to read experience, the most important thing is to keep a positive attitude.

Always read to your children, this encourages good expression when they learn to read, and also a love of books. When you are reading to your child, there is so much to talk about. Ask your child what the book was about, their favourite character, what things they can see in the picture, what letters or words they can recognise on the page.

Here at REACH we run Letterland and School Readiness classes for children from the age of three, for more information click on the Letterland link at the top of the page. Above all else, have fun!