Published on February 15, 2024
It is safe to say that literacy is important, but how can it be introduced as early as nursery to inspire and prepare children for classroom learning once they reach school age?
In this article, we are discussing the benefits of literacy learning for children and how to promote literacy in early education.
Literacy is one of those areas of learning that is integral for the formation of transferable skills. It does not matter where your child ends up in life, what profession they follow or what lifestyle they lead; literacy skills, and the ability to read and write, will always be required.
Learning how to use literacy skills from an early age is important for good communication. In our child-led environment, it is particularly beneficial when deciding on which tasks and activities the group wants to do. It is also beneficial in negotiating with peers, and in communicating an opinion succinctly and fairly because writing allows us to shape our view of the world and access our thoughts.
Literacy helps children to get involved and to be able to access fictional, magical, and inspiring worlds. The world becomes a little brighter and more exciting, whenever you can open a book and unlock a new story in your own time and at your own pace. All of this is made possible through the development of literacy skills. Those who start earlier find literacy to be a core part of their learning foundation from day one.
Making literacy a part of early years education means finding ways of bringing it into the nursery setting both within educational activities and playful and fun activities.
If we want to promote foundational literacy skills in young children, we need to read to them and encourage them to retain and repeat information. We ought to teach them what different words look and sound like and ensure that all the classroom skills are brought back to the magic of stories.
As stated by EYFS in 2024, “It is crucial for children to develop a lifelong love of reading.” This tells us how important it is for those early learning years to be steeped in all the magic of reading. To bring together the important skills with the opportunities that unlock those skills.
Now that we know a bit more about the benefits of literacy for early learners and why it’s so important to get it right, what exactly do we mean when we talk about innovative practices and approaches?
In short, innovation blends creativity with accessibility. To be considered innovative today, we must be constantly seeking news to not just engage but to inspire children. To want to indulge their growing interest in literacy outside of nursery as well as in the nursery setting.
For us, innovative practice across all early learning means balancing hands-on activity and practical learning with a more traditional approach to education. It means finding ways of integrating learning within activities that engage the mind and body. Ways that bridge the confines of a nursery with the world beyond its walls.
Literacy is a goldmine of creativity; it lends itself to the imagination and makes our job ten times easier by inspiring and exciting children. Here is how we embrace that excitement and make literacy a core part of the early education of children across our nurseries.
Reading is a skill that spans every area of life. Literacy is responsible for making reading fun. Similarly, writing is something that all children need to learn to do with the foundational concepts of literacy embedded in reading and in creating stories for children to tell.
At My Ohana, a great deal of emphasis goes into communicating, reading, telling, and creating new stories. Through this, we inspire children to tell stories and to create new stories. They explore the characters, engaging themselves in a world that they have created, and encouraging them to find new ways of describing and bringing that world to life.
Our extraordinary team members regularly go the extra mile during story time. They add new fun voices to the different characters and encourage children to read along (or sing along) where they feel comfortable to do so.
We also keep the parents of our children updated on their progress. Children can continue to develop and improve through the books they read and the activities at home. Rather than remaining within the confines of an age group book, we let parents know when their child is ahead of the group, or if they require some extra support. This ensures cohesive support and guidance at home and the nursery.
Finally, we always make literacy fun. After all, without fun and creativity, the stories remain just words on a page.
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