Teaching methods - literacy and reading - Essay Example

Reading Children learn to pronounce the words by acquiring a sense of how individual alphabets sound. Reading is the most difficult art of language to learn for the children and requires proper schooling and attention of the parents and teachers. It is quite linked to and influenced by both the listening and speaking skills of the child. “Often, speaking and listening is merely used as a tool to support and guide reading and writing, and is unlikely to be actually taught and assessed.” (Jenkin, 2008).

A child with good listening and speaking skills only needs to pay heed towards and take interest in the text. A child’s interest in literature is essential for sound cognitive learning.Writing:Children’s writing skills are much influenced by the time and attention of the parents and teachers they receive in this regard. They begin by drawing random lines without any formal sense of colors or shapes. These random lines reflect the child’s approach towards self expression which is quite unstructured owing to the child’s immaturity.

A child’s writing skills are much influenced by the time he spends in viewing alphabets and his reflection. The writing skills can be polished by making the child copy a line of words written by his tutor as he sees them.Speaking:This art of language is naturally acquired by children as they observe people talk around them. However, the case is not the same with 2nd language acquisition. It is much easier for a child to learn his mother tongue as compared to the 2nd language that requires formal guidance and assistance of teachers and parents.

The process starts with speaking individual alphabets that are then joined to form words, though not too large in the start. Listening:Listening is one of the most fundamental senses that a child is born with. No effort is required on the part of his parents and teachers to polish a child listening skills provided that he is not naturally deaf. In fact, a child’s ability to speak is fundamentally related to his ability to listen. Again, the problem may arise in case of listening and comprehending 2nd language.

Children polish their ability to comprehend 2nd language by listening to songs and movies in the 2nd language.Viewing:Just like listening, viewing is also one of the fundamental senses that are gifted by the nature to every child. The child gets the basic sense of life and the world by viewing and comprehending his surroundings. Without viewing and listening skills, a child can not interact with or respond to his surroundings. No one teaches a child how to see, he is born with this education.

However, his ability to visualize matters in different contexts is a matter of time and maturity.Visually representing:Elementary aged children are quite attracted towards visual expression of language in any form. It becomes easier for them to comprehend the language and speak, read or write it when the language is displayed in such visual forms as movies, documentaries or cartoons. Visual presentation of language not only serves to enhance their learning, but also makes it easier for them to take interest in their studies and reflect upon their educational experiences.

References:Jenkin, R., (2008). “Improving speaking and listening skills at KS2”. 24 July 2010. Retrieved from http://www.teachingexpertise.com/articles/improving-speaking-and-listening-skills-ks2-3514.