Workshop Description
At what age should children learn to read? How do I cultivate a love of reading in my child? Should I sign up for phonics? If I don’t, will my child fall behind in school?
Children around the world are under intense and increasing pressure to demonstrate reading abilities at earlier and earlier ages. As a result, parents and teachers often feel obliged to push direct reading instruction at the expense of many other essential developmental goals, including the socio-emotional, physical and cognitive needs of young children.
In this workshop, participants will
Explore reading strategies that are frequently employed by strong adult readers
Examine the research on the development of language and literacy in young children
Discuss the implications of this on how we approach reading instruction
Develop practical strategies for the home and classroom that are designed to cultivate reading in a developmentally appropriate, holistic and joyful way that honours and protects childhood
About the Facilitator
Joanna Lim holds a Master of Education in Learning and Teaching from Harvard University, where she studied under Professor Catherine Snow, a pioneer in the field of language development. She previously worked at Hils Learning, teaching a variety of children experiencing reading difficulties, and has also taught reading courses for adults, based on the Harvard Reading Strategies course. She believes that with intentional strategies and practice, deeper literacy is a lifelong journey that is achievable for all.