Loving Literacy

How to love incorporating literacy into your learning environment while making it meaningful to both you and your children.

By: Melissa Wilson, Early Childhood Specialist, BPFC

The wrapping paper is recycled, the decorations put away, now it becomes real. By this time, many children have already mastered the new toys they may have received for the holiday. It’s cold outside, gloomy days ahead. How can we, as teachers, keep sanity in the classroom while we survive the post-holiday slump?

Have you thought about incorporating books and other materials that support language development into unconventional areas in the classroom? Or even (gasp) outside? Early language and literacy experiences are some of the most important components of strong cognitive and social-emotional development, but many teachers are uncertain as to how to actually create a meaningful language-rich environment. Making language a focus in all play areas can help relieve boredom and create exciting learning opportunities for both you and the children.

Read a book aloud while children are eating lunch. Put paper and pencils in the home living area. Add letter blocks in playdough. The possibilities are endless.

Stuck? Uninspired? Too many roadblocks?

Sign up for our training: Language and Literacy in Early Childhood presented by our very own Anya Robyak. For the price of a pastry and fancy coffee ($7.50), you will learn literacy readiness indicators in different age groups, how receptive and expressive language work, and how to implement literacy materials into learning areas.

Teachers will come away with a better understanding and appreciation for literacy and how we can use it to create meaningful environments where children get excited to come play with you in your classroom.