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You will have heard the phrases you learn something new every day and every day is a
learning day. The interaction you have with your child at home is very important and assists
your child in the learning process. Children's literacy skills are developing
from when they are very young. Communicating from their first sounds, facial expressions
and body language. Literacy skills are essential to help us understand the world around us
through what we hear, see, say, read and write. Talking and listening skills are being developed
through conversation with your child. But you can also support them with some of these
activities. You could play I spy when out for a walk, on the bus or in the car. You
could discuss signs that are around us, such as road signs and poster adverts on bus stops.
This is helping your child to develop their early reading skills. Encourage your child
to look around and recognise shop signs that you visit regularly. For example, the supermarket.
They could also help you with the shopping list. Either helping to write it or reading
it and finding the items in the shop. At story time encourage your child to be imaginative
and tell their own story as well as listening to a story in the traditional way. The marks
and drawings your child makes are showing that they are developing early writing skills.
Try to ensure that your child always has access to writing materials whether it is pens, pencils
or crayons with notebooks, paper, diaries or old calendars. You could also encourage
them to write their own shopping lists, birthday cards or entries on the family calendar.
All of the examples in this video are natural tasks that will be going on in your household
every day. This video is to highlight what an important part as a parent or carer you
play in your child's development and learning in everyday life. Most importantly the aim
is to have fun with your child during these interactions and develop positive relationships
that create young people who are engaged and excited about learning and the world around
them. If you wish further information you can view a copy of every day is a learning
day at the following website. www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/e/everydaylearning.asp.