1. Are children who try to learn two languages during the preschool years handicapped in learning to read?
Preschool children who try to learn two languages are usually somewhat retarded in both. There are, of course, exceptions. It has been suggested that the retardation may be due to a reluctance to abandon the mother's language rather than to lack of intelligence or verbal ability.
The language heard in infancy, Dorothea McCarthy has said, has deep emotional roots. The child may become emotionally disturbed if he is forbidden to use the language he has associated with his parents from the earliest years. Therefore, children who need to learn two languages should learn to use both languages correctly in the situations in which each is appropriate.
2. Should I teach my child the alphabet?
A child is better prepared for beginning reading if he knows the names of the letters. You can teach him to write each letter large as soon as he learns to name it. You teach the name of the letter B, not the sound, "Bun." Later he will group the letters as follows:
ABCDEFG H I J K L M NOPQRST U VWXYZ
Letters near the beginning of the dictionary, letters in the middle after the beginning group, letters in the middle toward the end, letters near the end of the dictionary.
This grouping will help the child to find words quickly in the dictionary.
3. Why is reading aloud to children sometimes unsuccessful?
There are many possible reasons. If the adult dislikes reading aloud, or reads from a sense of duty, his attitude is communicated to the child. Adult and child should both enjoy the story. The child may not be quite ready for the story the parent is reading - though the parent remembers that he loved it when he was the child's age.
Times change, and children's interests shift somewhat from generation to generation. Sometimes the child's unreadiness to listen may be merely temporary; something else had absorbed his attention for the moment. It is better to recognize this immediate interest than to try to override it. Older children, especially those in early adolescence, sometimes prefer an unshared reading experience. At such times they guard their private world with fierce jealousy, and resent any adult intrusion into it.
4. How can parents foster a child's love of reading?
"Liking to read just comes naturally to my child," you may say. Probably it doesn't. Without being aware of it, you have done, and are still doing, many things that cause your child to love reading and to want to read. He has seen you reading and has gathered that reading gives you pleasure and profit.
He has listened to the enchanting stories that you have read him, and he wants to hear more than you have time to read to him. This stimulates him to want to learn to read for himself. As he looks at the books while you read to him, he begins to recognize certain words, and realizes that those black marks on white paper have meaning.
Even after he has started school, you should continue to read him books that are beyond his own present reading ability; this will create further interest in the world of books that he will someday be able to explore himself.
Many parents with young children have wondered if their child's anxiety and distress on parting is normal or excessive. First time parents especially may question whether professional help is needed. If your child's anxiety has been a concern for you, read on to learn more about separation anxiety disorder and how it differs from ordinary anxiety commonly seen in children.
Many babies begin to seem worried and distressed about separating from a parent or caregiver around 7 or 8 months old. It may diminish for a time and then reappear as the child becomes more mobile and begins to explore her surroundings. At this stage the anxiety is developmentally normal and is not considered a disorder. It is part of the process of developing trust and a sense of being separate from others. This sort of anxiety will typically fade as the child learns it is normal for others to go away and return.
Separation anxiety disorder is distinguished from ordinary developmental anxiety by the following: extreme worry and fear when separated from parent or home, persistent and unreasonable worry that something bad will happen to him/herself or the parent, reluctance to go to ordinary outings or school because of fear of separating, difficulty sleeping alone, repeated nightmares about being separated, repeated physical complaints when separation is anticipated. The symptoms must have lasted a minimum of 4 weeks, and must be present to a level which significantly interferes with everyday functioning.
It is helpful to know how these symptoms may look in your child. Here are some examples: The child may vigorously protest being left with a babysitter, or refuse to play with peers and attend activities other children his age would normally enjoy such as birthday parties, Scouts or slumber parties. He may have many physical complaints on school mornings: tummy aches, headaches, etc. He may often ask to go to the nurse's office at school and may be sent home repeatedly, yet the physician finds no physical basis for the distress. He may express concern for the parent's safety and well being at a level that seems unusual for a child his age.
There are many things a parent can do to help a child build trust and decrease anxiety. These include listening carefully and acknowledging the child's feelings without contradicting or offering advice, honoring all commitments to the child, particularly time commitments, and reminding the child of his /her strengths. Always prepare your child for changes. Practice separating for brief periods. Many children with separation anxiety have other anxiety disorders as well, so practicing relaxation techniques such as slow, deep breathing and visualizing will give your youngster coping tools. Do not hesitate to consult a mental health professional if you are uncertain about whether your child is improving. Treatment at an early stage can help prevent the development of other anxiety disorders in later years.
Both Jimmy Cox & Susan Huebert are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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