Young children have shorter attention spans than older children. However, this can be one of the advantages of starting learning early. Taking advantage of a few seconds here and a couple of minutes there can make a big difference over the long term. These early years are some of the most impressionable for young children, as well as when they learn the most. The right elementary reading intervention programs can help children to learn vital reading skills from a young age.
Early Literacy Exposure
It is a good idea to expose children to literacy as soon as possible. This can include reading to them, singing to them, teaching them the alphabet and using reading intervention programs for elementary students. This can help to expose children to the idea of literacy as soon as possible. Teachers and tutors can start teaching reading to children as soon as they meet the children.
The main reason why it is important to teach reading skills early on is not that there is some sort of “magic window” of time to teach these skills. Early exposure to literacy skills simply makes this window as big as possible. The longer that it takes to begin teaching reading skills, the smaller the window of time children will have to learn these skills.
The Concept of Developmental Appropriateness
You might have heard about developmental appropriateness when it comes to avoiding teaching reading skills at an early age. However, it is vital to build young children’s skills in both factual and conceptual knowledge. This is the best way for children to learn comprehension. The more that children learn at an early age, the better they will be able to read. This will give children a foundation for strong reading skills in later years.
In reality, developmental appropriateness really has to do with how someone teaches something and not what they teach. Even keeping lessons brief can still give children enough time to learn valuable information. Adding fun aspects to the learning experience and allowing children to engage with the material can help them be more involved and better retain the information.
Choose the Right Elementary Reading Intervention Programs
Starting to teach early literacy skills as soon as possible can help children build a strong foundation. Here at Essential Skills, we know the importance of giving children the tools that they need to succeed in life starting at a young age. We offer both reading intervention programs for elementary students and reading programs for special education elementary school students. No matter where a child is at developmentally, they can benefit from our programs. Contact us today to learn more about how our programs can help.