This week’s article is brought to you by the letters R-E-A-and D.
Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and Oscar the Grouch were characters I knew well as a child. Even now, children often delight in them. According to Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street by Michael Davis (2009), the creators of Sesame Street – Joan Ganz Cooney, Lloyd Morrisett, and Jim Henson – had the idea to “master the addictive qualities of television and do something good with them.” Their target was specifically children who were preparing to begin public school.
Thus, on Nov. 10, 1969, Sesame Street debuted on the Public Broadcasting Service. It appears there is a growing number of parents who feel the need to begin teaching their children to learn to read as soon as possible in order to be successful as they get older. I understand that concept as, I, too, had the same thoughts with my oldest child.
I didn’t have index cards at that time, so when he was three, I cut pieces of paper and wrote alphabet letters on each one. At night, before bedtime, one of our routines was to review our letters. He could never quite get the letter “V,” so I taught him to think of it like an “upside-down mountain.” Every time he saw it, that is what he would say instead of the letter name. Finally, he made the connection.
There is nothing wrong with wanting your child to be successful and get a head start in the world of academia, however, it is important to note what the experts say is healthy for them, and at what age. I began to remember information I was taught and have put into practice from my university days as well as doing a little updated research of my own in preparation for this article.
I began to think about children’s language and literacy milestones. Every child is different; therefore, each one learns differently.
According to the Canadian Children’s Literacy Foundation, “research shows babies learn language when they hear lots of words from a caregiver. This helps them learn to read once they start school. Starting from birth, talk, sing, and share books with your child.” Lots of back-and-forth communication is crucial. Nursery rhymes and songs are also a great way to help babies and children focus on what sounds and words they hear, which is one reason Dr. Seuss books are popular. Repetition, no matter how mundane to us, is key to their development. You can find other tips to literacy at www.childrensliteracy.ca.
This week’s book feature is We Go Together by Todd Dunn. Published in 2007, We Go Together is much rhythm and rhyme along with bright and cheery illustrations by Miki Sakamoto. The book takes simple objects such as “fire and dragon,” “dog and bone,” “cow and moo,” among others, and puts them together in an interesting way that is sure to delight both the child and the reader as well as fostering language development.
As we leave it here for the week, I want to send a special message to my little friends who are in school now. Each of you have probably seen familiar faces as well as made many new friends. Remember this very important message. “Friend something better than chocolate ice cream. Maybe friend somebody you’d give up your last cookie for.” — Cookie Monster
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Cindy Norgate is an educator with over 25 years of experience, and is an occasional teacher in Huron and Perth counties.
