Every child learns at a
different pace, and learning how to read is as unpredictable as it is
important. But if you want to help your child prepare for this milestone – and
continue to grow as a new reader – you can help by building some early literary
skills now. After all, reading and understanding text aren’t the only skills
involved in reading, and they’re not the only ways for a child to experience
words and books. Pre-reading skills range from paying attention during reading
time to identifying letters and numbers, and all of them help us lay an
important foundation for literacy. Here are a few early
childhood literacy skills your preschooler can use before they start reading.
Grab your favorite book and get started today!
Looking
at Pictures & Identifying Items
Reading comprehension skills
are important because kids must learn to pay attention to the details and
meaning of a story. Luckily, this skill can be sharpened without even using
words. Select books with colorful, clear illustrations on every page and help
your child identify the most important elements. For example, your child may
start by distinguishing between different colors and animals, then progress to
picking out specific characters, settings, and other details.
Identifying
Letters, Numbers, & Punctuation Marks
Long before kids learn how to
interpret letters and words, they can tell different shapes and sizes apart.
Now is a great time to start focusing on the differences between different
letters and numbers, including their shape, size, and name. Start by reading
alphabet books that name and describe each letter, getting your child familiar
with the whole alphabet. As they learn more about the alphabet, pause during
story time and ask them to identify random letters or point out the differences
between capital and lower-case letters on the page.
Predicting
Patterns & Plots
As you read aloud to your
child, engage them in the action of the plot and encourage them to try
predicting what will happen next. This helps them pay attention to plots and
patterns, and it also inspires creativity and problem-solving skills by
allowing them to imagine the next page. This can be as simple as pausing during
story time and asking what one character should say to the next, or as complex
as drawing
Telling
Stories Themselves
Ultimately, reading is all
about following narratives. Because strong narrative skills are helpful as your
child learns to read, consider involving them in the storytelling process.
After reading a book together, ask them to retell the story – or tell a story
about something that happened to them. Reading repetitive books is a great
starting point, because kids can rely on a predictable pattern to help them
learn and retell a story. Even playing make-believe is a great way to build
storytelling skills, so give your kids an opportunity to get creative. At Montessori Children’s
House, we encourage our students to embrace and enjoy reading at their own
pace. Contact us to learn more about our preschool programs and see how Montessori education teaches students new skills that set the foundation for lifelong learning.
Although most of us don't
even think about it, our fine motor skills are used and tested on a daily
basis. Whether it's writing, drawing, typing, cutting, tying shoelaces, using a
fork and spoon, or buttoning your shirt – fine motor skills are essential for
nearly everything you do. So naturally, you want your
child to have highly developed fine motor skills they can rely on both inside
and outside of the classroom. Here are three tips to help your child develop
and hone their fine motor skills:
No.
1 – Understand the stages of development
If you want your child's fine
motor skills to improve, it's imperative to understand their current stage of
development. Depending on their age and progress, you'll want to explore and
complete activities that reflect those factors.
No.
2 – Customize the Activities
Finding out what kind of
activities your child gravitates towards is a really important part of
developing their fine motor skills. If you incorporate fine motor skills into
projects or hobbies they have already shown an interest in, it will be a
natural learning process rather than something that feels forced. Whether they
enjoy building stuff with Legos, creating a masterpiece with finger paints, or
playing with Barbie dolls – you can use it to help them build upon their
existing fine motor skills.
No.
3 – Stock up on supplies
It's a good idea to give your
child as many options as possible when they are developing their fine motor
skills. This way, you can see which activities they naturally gravitate towards. Here are some ideas to help
get you started: Supplies for Creative
Projects
Construction
paper
Finger
paints
Markers
(non-toxic and washable)
Crayons
Coloring
books
An Easel
Modeling
clay
Musical
instruments
Building Activities
Legos
Bristle
blocks
Construction
straws
Tinker
toys
Magnetic
blocks
Puzzles
General Supplies
Safety
scissors
Paintbrushes
Smock (to
prevent staining)
Paste/glue
Having a variety of supplies
on hand will give your child the resources they need to explore and develop
their own interests – all while improving their fine motor skills as they
continue to grow and learn.
Make
it Fun
Fine motor skills are
necessary for almost everything we do in life. Use the tips listed above to
ensure your child's development stays on track, making sure you are giving them
the encouragement and support they need to excel in the classroom and beyond. For preschoolers in particular, it's important focus on your child's fine motor skills both inside and outside of the classroom. The teachers and staff at the Montessori School of Flagstaff Sunnyside Campus use hands-on, interactive learning to further develop and fine tune students' fine motor skills. Contact us today to schedule a tour of our school and learn more about the Montessori Method.
Many elementary studentsstruggle
with learning fractions. But with the right information and know-how, you can
instill a love of numbers in your child that will help them succeed both inside
and outside of the classroom. That's why it's so important to take an
individual approach when trying to teach them how to calculate fractions.
Consider
Their Interests
If you can find the place
where your child's interests meet the world of mathematics, they will take to
these new concepts like a fish to water. You can find ways to explain
fractions using an activity they have already shown an interest in, and then a
seemingly complicated concept like fractions is instantly more familiar and
comfortable to them.
1.
Legos
Maybe your child loves to
create things with Legos. If so, you can use this existing interest to easily
explain how fractions work. Use the different colors of their Lego set to give
them a visual representation of a fraction. Then, have them draw and label the
fraction on a blank sheet of paper.
2.
Baseball
If your child has an interest
in America's favorite pastime, you can use it to teach them about fractions.
For instance, you can play a game of catch as a fun way to demonstrate a
real-life example of this skill. Throw the ball x amount of
times – keeping track of the number of times you catch and throw the ball on a
sheet of paper. After you're done, help your child write down the fraction that
represents how many times they caught it compared to how many times it was
thrown.
3.
Dominoes
If your family loves game
night – dominoes might be the perfect tool to teach your child about fractions.
Make up your own domino game to sneak in a math lesson with game night.
4.
Pizza
Who doesn't love a hot,
cheesy pizza? But you probably didn't realize how easily you can use it to
teach your kid about fractions. Next time you order a pie, count how many
slices there are and have your child figure out the fractions as it disappears
slice by slice.
5.
Smartphones
Put the "smart" in
smartphone by using it to help your child understand the concept of fractions.
There are a lot of great apps designed to make math both fun and easy for young
students, such as Squeebles.
Bottom
Denominator
Regardless of what subject
you're teaching your child, it's important to make it relevant to their
everyday experiences. Find something they already enjoy doing, then find a way
to teach them about fractions using their unique and pre-existing interests. Elementary students at the Montessori School of Pleasanton are encouraged to use everyday activities to enhance their learning. To learn how to incorporate specific Montessori activities into your home life,contact ustoday to schedule an appointment with our teachers and staff.
