Learning basic literacy skills begins at birth. Learning to read and write begins also at a very
From what I have been told by my mother, I did
not have any problems learning to speak. My Mum still speaks of the days when
dad would get up in the middle of the night and pace the floor with me until I
fell back to sleep (this was a common occurrence as I had asthma as a
child and was unable to sleep through the night for the first 4 years
of my life). Dad had the patients of a saint, especially as he was
adjusting to being a father again as the age of 50. Dad held me in his arms and
mouthed the word 'hello' to me over and over as slowly as possible, eventually
my first word popped out ‘heelllooo’. Dad had broken through barriers and
finally got something, other than screaming to come from his bundle of joy?!
The following are some crucial tips for
encouraging your child's language development age 0-5 years:
-Talk to your child. The more you speak to your child,
the more they will learn. I know this one sounds terribly obvious however; you
would be surprised at how many parents do not see the point in speaking to
their child, before their child is able to speak. The ‘gooing’ and ‘garing’ a
child makes at this young age, is the child learning turn taking and experimenting
with forming words. Always encourage this ‘gooing’ and reply with a sentence that
sounds somewhat similar to what your child maybe trying to communicate.
-Explore toys and different objects with your child;
allowing them to explore textures and shapes, this enables to child to see ‘how
things work’. Use every opportunity as a teaching opportunity.
-Following your child’s lead when playing or sharing a
book will breed confidence in your child.
-Once your child has mastered a game or activity,
progress them onto something more difficult. Always challenge your child moving.
Remember to go at a steady pace which the child themselves sets, this will avoid
advancing too quickly and potentially destroying the confidence you have built
in your child.
-My fifth point is one I personally feel passionate
about; do not allow your child to watch too much television. Research does show
that watching too much television can stunt a child’s brain development.
If you raising a bilingual child and are looking for some tips and advice then, please allow me to guide you to this website: http://bilingualmonkeys.com/ The creator and author of this site is a Japanese father of two bilingual children. The site is passionately and beautifully written and is definitely worth researching. Try signing up for the newsletter; which provides tips, motivation and encouragement to keep you and your child on the path to bilingual success.
The first four years of a child’s life are
crucial. Experiences a mother has whilst pregnant, can have a effect on a child’s development and personality as an adult. Research shows: Mothers
experiencing excessive stress whilst pregnant can have a worse effect on the
child then using un-prescribed drugs or smoking cigarettes. Stress during the
early stages of a child development has in some cases, been proved to actually
change the genes of a child, making them more susceptible to
addiction and depression.
This research into the effects of stress on a child
can also be evident in adulthood. Adults, who experience extreme stress and/or
abuse, can have the same genetic mutation. Thus, the experiences you have can change who you are, and the ways in which you react in certain
circumstances.
Consequently, my
advice to parents bringing their first child into the world would be to remain as
calm as possible during pregnancy, be aware of your child’s development, ensure
they are always challenged and build as much confidence in your child’s
abilities as possible. Your child will always look up to you, so make sure you
are acting a role model, and your bouncing bundles of joys will be informing you, with perfect language skills, that they will ‘going to an all-night rave’
in no time!
Good
Luck parents!
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