When our children start school in many cases a countdown to see how long it takes to learn letters, numbers, and literacy. The pressure is greater as the courses progress and they approach the beginning of primary school. For many teachers, mothers and fathers, it seems that if they finish the childhood stage without having learned to read and write they have not learned anything.
There is no doubt that reading and writing are, after oral language, the two most important forms of communication. There are also two very important processes in the intellectual and cognitive development of children since from them the children will be able to acquire and develop other knowledge and skills. But is the rush to teach them before the age of six worth it?
What is the ideal age to teach children to read and write?
More and more professionals and studios agree that the ideal is wait for children to have the necessary maturity and cognitive skills to be able to assimilate and execute a good literacy. If we force children to read or write too early, we are spending precious time accelerating a learning process for which they are not yet neurologically mature, to the detriment of others for whom they are, such as autonomy, values, play, creativity, emotion management or logical reasoning.
According to experts, rather than asking ourselves at what age children should learn to read and write, we should ask ourselves when each child acquires the skills and abilities that favor literacy learning.
What maturational requirements are necessary to initiate a child in literacy learning?
- That the child has a broad and mature vocabulary. This means that they speak fluently, that they understand what is being said and know how to express themselves through a varied vocabulary.
- Phonological awareness. The child must be able to understand that a certain sound corresponds to a letter or syllable.
- To be able to listen to yourself since when we are reading we are listening to each other.
- Having an adequate mobility and coordination. That he knows how to coordinate movements, properly grasp the pen and has developed psychomotor skills appropriately.
- Possess a suitable visual organization. In addition to understanding the words, they must be able to rely on other aspects such as illustrations, illustrations.
- Motivation. Learning is more effective if the child is motivated and has fun while acquiring knowledge. To learn something must be done with motivation and joy.
What are the consequences of teaching children to read and write ahead of time?
There are children who begin to learn to read and write when they still do not know or hold a pencil correctly. When we pressure children to learn to read and write without being prepared, problems such as:
- Stress or anxiety
- Low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence
- Lack of motivation and rejection of one's own learning that becomes torture rather than motivating.
- Frustration and feelings of inferiority, especially when seeing that other colleagues can do it.
- Spelling mistakes due to poor learning.
- Learning to read and write ahead of time is also linked to problems like dyslexia and stuttering.
- Many children are classified as children with learning disabilities When in reality or what happens to them, they have not yet reached the necessary maturity to acquire certain skills or abilities.
In summary, the ideal age to teach reading and writing will be the one in which each child has acquired the necessary maturational skills to develop these learnings. It cannot be generalized since each child has his own rhythm and individuality. If he feels respected by the adult, he will gain self-confidence and self-esteem which, in addition to being important for a good psychological development, will favor his learning.