Shelanti Private School

Different learning styles for unique talents

School Readiness

Physical and Motor Development – School Readiness

In this article we will be exploring the importance of Physical and Motor Development for school readiness.

Physical development is the development of body, brain, muscles and senses. Physical development determines a learner’s ability to explore his environment. It influences cognitive development, social development and emotional development.


Motor development consists of both gross-motor skills and fine motor skills.


Gross-motor skills involve the mastery of large muscle movements as well as the building of strength in muscle groups like the arms, legs, and core. Why is this an important element of school readiness?

Fine-motor academic skills refer to the small muscles in the hands. Why is this an important element of school readiness?

Gross Motor Skills

  1. Trampoline
  2. Hopscotch
  3. Martial Arts Classes
  4. Playground Play
  5. Balloon and Bubble Play
  6. Tricycles, Scooters and Pedal Cars
  7. Dancing
  8. Obstacle Courses

Fine Motor Skills

  1. Play dough
  2. Puzzles
  3. Drawing, colouring in and painting
  4. Using kitchen tongs or tweezers
  5. Cutting with scissors
  6. Bath time play
  7. Sand play
  8. Opening and closing of lids
  9. Art with macaroni, beans, peas
  10. Finger paint
  11. Threading
  12. watering plants

Language Development

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Language Development – School Readiness

Language Development
Parents often struggle with the question of when their child is school-ready. In my experience of many years of teaching at an inclusive teaching school, the one thing I can say with certainty is that there is no “one size fits all” answer. Some parents think it’s a question of maturity; others that their child should be able to recognise numbers and letters, but this is actually a very small part of it.

Let’s look at  core aspects of school readiness.

  • Language Development
  • Physical & Motor Development
  • Cognition
  • Emotional & Social Development
  • Approaches to Learning

Below is a visual representation

A guide to School Readiness

 

This week we will delve into Language Development which is one of the core skills that needs to be in place before entering formal schooling. When talking about Language Development we need to consider three aspects:

  • Receptive Language (understanding)
  • Expressive language (using language)
  • Articulation (pronunciation of sounds in words)

Receptive language is the understanding of spoken language. Receptive language is the first communication skill a child learns. From the womb babies respond to familiar sounds and voices. Receptive language can also be seen as the input of language.

 

Why is this important at school? It is important in order to:

 

  • communicate successfully
  • follow instructions
  • learn sounds, then build words
  • access the curriculum successfully
  • engage in activities and academic activities
  • respond appropriately

Difficulties with receptive language may lead to concentration and language difficulties and behavioural issues. It can also lead to difficulties in forming friendships.

 

Expressive language is a very broad term. In short, it refers to the child’s ability to use language to communicate thoughts, feelings and ideas. Expressive language skill is one of the most powerful predictors of a child’s ability to learn to read and succeed at school. A child with a limited vocabulary will find it difficult to write good sentences, produce creative writing pieces and deliver orals of good quality.

 

Articulation: Articulation can be described as the act of speaking clearly. It is important to be able to pronounce sounds, words and sentences clearly in order to be easily interpreted and understood by others. Unclear speech can impact significantly on how well a child interacts with adults and peers, and can affect the development of language and social skills. A child who is having difficulties being understood can become frustrated and angry, which may lead to behavioral issues. It also impacts self-esteem, self-confidence, reading and writing. Articulation is also important in literacy skills such as reading and the correct spelling of words.

 

What can I, as a parent, do?

Research demonstrates the importance of a rich environment for infants. Infants’ brains are developing rapidly, and that brain development is strongly influenced by what is going on around them. The more that these infants are embedded in a complex language environment, the more that their language abilities develop. That early development gives them a huge advantage as they start school. You, as parents, are therefore the primary source of this development.

 

  • Tell stories
  • Read stories
  • Encourage curiosity
  • Have conversations
  • I spy….
  • Encourage full sentences
  • Expect more: don’t use baby language
  • Talk, talk, talk (also listen)
  • Encourage an opinion
  • Take trips and do research prior to the trip
  • Have discussions
  • Model a rich vocabulary
  • Play magic bag: describe what you feel, give clues about the bag.
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