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What I'm talking about...
I believe that we all learn best in connection with others and through real life experiences.
That optimal reading habits are developed cuddled up on the couch or while reading road or trail markers on an adventure.
That there is no race to win on the path to fluent reading ability. We are ALL readers already- and that through play and conversation young children can develop lifelong skills and love of reading.
That though we are currently physically apart from the families we serve, there are meaningful ways we can support them from afar if we want to do so.
I am a BC-certified teacher specialized in Early Childhood Education, have taught Kindergarten through Grade 7, as well as designed and taught programs for ages 0-18, and am currently supporting my children in their own home learning journeys. My approach is one of love, acceptance, fun, and freedom.
How to Support Literacy Development with Young Children
There is an idea in our society that learning to read is a switch to be flipped and that the earlier in life this switch is flipped, the better. As educators and childcare providers, we know that the path to fluent and effective reading is long, gradual, and is most effective when done in a child-led, joy-filled style.
This session will emphasize playful ideas and rich experiential events that help develop a strong foundation of literacy skills. We will talk about essential phonemic and phonological awareness skills and authentic engaging ways to support these, conversations to have when reading together to support comprehension skill development, and how for some children the key to growing stronger as a reader is to embrace their identity as a writer. We will discuss the importance of a growth mindset when growing as a reader and the pivotal roles that music, song, and storytelling can play.
This session will also include a segment on the current reality for some educators of being away from the children they care for and wanting to maintain connection and support with families remotely. Karen will share ideas and tips for video and written communication with families during this time of physical distancing.