Best School Curriculum Encourages Meaningful Literacy
Learning the meaning of words is one of the most important things a preschooler can be taught. Children take their first tentative steps towards literacy during preschool, so it is imperative that these formative years expose them to the value of words, and not simply the technical and phonological aspect of reading and writing. The best preschool curriculums are those that encourage children to engage with words through different mediums, such as songs, reading, writing and playing.
Meaning
The best school curriculums emphasize the meaning of words more than anything else. Although spelling is an integral part of literacy, discovering the significance of what a word is also incredibly important. This can only be done by reading and talking with a child, actively engaging with them using language. Singing songs, writing in front of a child or just playing with words encourages them to appreciate language.
The Alphabet
As adults, or even children who have learnt how to read and write, it seems incomprehensible to imagine a time when we didn’t understand the letters in the alphabet, yet for your average preschooler the letter ‘A’ is simply a sound without shape or form. You can understand, then, why learning the alphabet is a very important aspect to early literacy development. So how do you teach it?
It is very easy to hand a child a copy of the alphabet and have them write out the letters over and over again, or make them chant out the sounds on repeat, but this technique wont allow them to make meaningful connections, and most will get bored and zone out very quickly. Instead, play with letters. Have them posted all over the classroom in different shapes and colors, encourage children to interact with them by creating them with different materials such as string, stickers, play dough or even their own bodies! You can also encourage them to go on letter hunts in books, signs, or throughout the school using magnifying glasses or wands to make the activity more exciting.
Sounds
Phonological awareness is also an important aspect of literacy. Children need to learn that ‘c’ can sounds similar to ‘k’ but not to ‘g’, for example. Learning how to write the alphabet is important, but learning what the alphabet sounds like and how to pronounce letters is also equally important. Once a child understands phonetics, their spelling often improves, and they are able to understand words more easily.
Spelling
Children will, more often than not, spell words how the hear them, or phonetically. Having them learn how to spell words correctly will be important for future writing. Yet again, simply asking a child to spell a word over and over again will not teach them anything. A child needs a teacher, not a drill sergeant.