Much has been said about the importance of teaching preschool children to read at an early age, whether in school or at enrichment programmes. After all, it is challenging to go about our daily lives without basic literacy skills, such as sitting for written tests or ordering food. Being able to read also opens up a world of opportunities and knowledge.
Benefits Of Children Learning Reading
Reading helps to improve critical thinking, grammar, and vocabulary skills. To truly understand the text, readers need to be able to interpret and analyse the information they are taking in. This active engagement process helps develop essential higher-order thinking skills, such as evaluation and synthesis.
Besides sharpening one’s thinking and language skills, reading also expands one’s horizons. You are exposed to different perspectives and points of view when you read. It allows you to follow along as others share their thoughts and experiences as well as learn about new and exciting things. This helps you see things from different angles and viewpoints and develops your own opinions and ideas.
Many early literacy and reading programmes recognise these benefits. They focus on teaching children the skills needed to begin reading, such as learning alphabets, recognising words through phonics, and understanding basic grammar. However, less emphasis is often placed on inculcating the love for reading in preschoolers. This is not ideal because learning to love reading is just as important as learning to read itself.
Encouraging A Child To Love Reading
While it is vital to develop a child’s reading skills, it is also important to instil a love for this activity in children. Reading should be seen as a pleasure, not a chore. Children who enjoy reading are more likely to do it regularly and be motivated to read more, which can slowly grow into a habit that lasts a lifetime.
Research has also shown that literacy rates directly impact a child’s future success, both academically and professionally. By fostering a love of reading, we can give children the gift of a lifetime.
Get the Best of Both Worlds With MindChamps PreSchool Fun with Language™ Programme
At MindChamps PreSchool in Singapore, we believe both literacy skills and a love for reading are necessary for a well-rounded education. Our MindChamps Reading & Writing™ (Natural Literacy™) and Fun with Language™ programmes are designed to nurture your early learner into a highly successful reader, writer, and storyteller through a wide range of quality literature to learn and explore.
We also make reading enjoyable through our unique researched-backed Enquiry Teaching and Learning™ approach. Our well-trained teachers will first observe the interests of the children and plan their lessons accordingly. During class, students will be encouraged to ask questions that will lead to an enquiry exploration in an immersive environment.
We do our best to work with parents to give your child the best possible start in life. Find the nearest MindChamps PreSchool and book a visit to our centre, or find out more about our preschool curriculum now!