Important of Language & Literacy for Young Children

Some ways language and literacy can help children:

- Emotional regulation: Some children may bite or hit when they're frustrated or emotional. They are having a hard time asking for what they need, or telling us something. Adults can help develop language or identifying the emotions a child is going through to reduce biting or hitting behaviors.

- Teaching certain words that are related to a child's experience. A child is always looking around and seeing new objects

- "Name it to tame it." Labeling emotions can reduce neural firing or emotionality in our brains. When we identify emotions ourselves or for children, we help develop a child's emotional vocabulary as well as help a child feel understood.

- Labeling two emotions to a situation. It can help a child understand that sometimes we will feel conflicting emotions at the same time.

- Empathy: Hearing stories or looking at facial cues can help a child connect with others. When the verbal language isn't there, looking at facial cues and body signs can help a child connect with others. "Mommy or Daddy said to do this when someone is (emotion), etc."

- For the long-term, language and literacy can help a child increase confidence in learning. There's social comparisons and pressures to do well, but it can be noticeable when a child can't read as well as their peers. It affects performance in class and willingness to try again. Struggles with reading can lead to arguments at home to practice. So, practice early on! Pair positive experiences with attempts to read (story time at bedtime), even looking through picture books.

- Learn vocabulary words just for fun! Families are busy, so try whenever you have a few minutes. You can have words ready during bath time, a word or two during dinner, have books around the house so they're readily available.

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Some Ways to Promote Literacy at Home

- Have a library. Space can be limited, so a family can always"

- Visit the local library. This can be a family tradition or ritual that a child can look back on to have positive emotions paired with reading.

- Used bookstores or estate sales: readers with large collections can sometimes donate huge lots for a cheaper price.

- Many local libraries that get an overflow of book donations have a "Buck a Bag" deal where you pay $1 for an entire bag of books.

- Newspapers or magazines: model using these for reading, read out loud sometimes to expose your child to reading and new words.

- Sight words: Words that don't follow spelling rules, and need to be memorized by learners. It can be an option to print or write labels or sight words and place them around the house to prime the brain for seeing words as objects or concepts.

- Diverse Languages: music, math, different languages in the form of text can help increase a child's awareness of different types of symbols and differentiating them.

- Singing songs: YouTube playlists can promote language in a fun and rhythmic way. If a child likes a certain song, printing lyrics out can also help them learn a few words here and there.

- Different cultures: People who speak with different accents or languages can help a child learn how to pronounce or read by making educated guesses based on their life experience and words or sentences they've heard.

- Reading to Children: Reading the and hearing the word is very different. When children have a favorite book, they start memorizing certain parts, sometimes the entire book! This can increase confidence to read, and give children a sense of mastery.

- Prewriting: Allow children to develop fine-motor skills by scribbling with pencils, crayons, and color pencils. Let them try and focus more on the attempts, instead of being "correct." Children will need time and encouragement to get their letters right. Make it a positive experience.

- Allow children to curate their own library. This can give children a chance to practice being responsible, a sense of ownership, and an opportunity to choose their own things to read.