Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/i-want-my-baby-to-read-supporting-parents-in-guiding-early-language-and-literacy-development/5022242/
Among modern parents today, a focus on teaching babies to read has emerged. As a result, teachers feel pressure from parents, the media, and society to adapt their practices to meet these new demands. In this article, I suggest strategies to help you address the concerns and demands of parents about their children learning to read. These include clarifying for parents that we recommend certain practices as more appropriate than others they may hear about or see on television.Why Teaching Babies to Read is Not Good Practice
Listed below are just a few of the many reasons why teaching babies to read is not good practice:
• It’s not developmentally appropriate.
• There is no need to rush.
• Babies don’t read; they memorize!
• Reading instruction is too formal for babies who learn best through play.
• Other areas of development suffer.
• Reading early will not make your baby a genius.
What We Know about Child Development and Early Literacy Development
Literacy includes all the activities involved in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and appreciating both spoken and written language (Armbruster, Lehr & Osborn, 2006). Brain research tells us that infants are born with 100 billion neurons (brain cells responsible for most brain functioning); however, the ...