| From around two years of age, children can start to | | | | later than we do in our schools - and they have |
| learn: | | | | fewer children with reading and behavioural problems. |
| - What individual words look like | | | | Some children do learn to read at about three years |
| - That words are made up of letters | | | | of age, others won't learn until they are eight or nine |
| - That written words make up different types of | | | | or even older and these children may be just as |
| books, newspapers, magazines, letters from friends | | | | bright. So introduce these ideas early and don't worry |
| and emails | | | | if they're not picked up straight away. |
| - How to read a book themselves from left to right | | | | By the time children are two or three they have |
| by looking at the pictures and remembering the | | | | very definite ideas on what they want to read again |
| words | | | | and again and again. But they are also hungry to learn |
| - Coordination, focusing and language | | | | about the world. The main problem at this stage isn't |
| - How to concentrate on longer stories | | | | that children don't want to learn - it's parental |
| Do not be concerned if children do not master all of | | | | exhaustion. |
| these skills immediately. They probably won't until | | | | It's important to speak clearly to children so that |
| they are about 10 years old, so don't push them too | | | | they can understand how words are made up of |
| hard. Scandinavian teachers concentrate on | | | | different sounds. Hold long conversations with them |
| developing early language skills in young children and | | | | so that they learn to concentrate. |
| don't worry about teaching children to read until much | | | | |