General Page

GENERAL TIPS

The adults should exhibit enthusiasm and focus in their own reading of books, newspapers and magazines and in relevant situations they should involve the child.
The adults should also talk to each other or tell the child about interesting and meaningful things they themselves have written or read about.
The adults should show the child after having read for example a manual or a recipe that they can act on what they have read.
The adults should show and involve the child in written communication – such as postcards and emails.
The adults should take the child to the library.

Children could write their own birthday wish lists.
The child may initially copy from toy catalogues or the adult’s writing.
The child could take part in writing shopping lists. To start with they may copy the adult’s writing.
The child could write his own name and the recipient’s name on “to-and-from” cards, invitations and postcards.

The adult can write small word cards with relevant words for the child and put them on the corresponding objects – such as teddy, bed and
drawer.
The adult can write cute messages to the child to be hung on the refrigerator or be placed in the lunchbox – such as “Have a nice day”
or “I love you”.
The adult can read words on signs aloud to the child – such as road signs, shop signs and information boards.
The adult can read product names and words on any packaging to the child.

The child should always have easy access to paper, pencils and colors.
The child should have easy access to a computer with a text editor and print option. Here it is important to disable spell check.
The child should have easy access to books (eg. picture books, comic books and electronic books).
It is a good idea to place the books with the front outwards for the child to be inspired to read them.

The child should often have books read aloud by an adult.
The child should choose the book to be read – even if the same book is chosen again and again.
When reading aloud it is a good idea if the adult or child is continually pointing to the words in the text.
Before reading a new book, the child and the adult, from the cover photo or title of the book, can guess and talk about what they think the book is about.
At selected pages in the book, the adult can ask “What do you think happens on the next page?”
When having finished reading the book, the adult and child can expand on the story together.
The child should be helped when encountering new words and phrases in connection with games on the computer or video game consoles.

It is important, that the child is able to choose itself, when and when not to write and read, in order for the desire to be the driving force.
The child must not be corrected but praised for his or hers attempts at writing and reading.
The adult’s task is to raise the child’s natural curiosity and interest in written language.