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Can Babies Read?
June 16, 2014
The net of the sleeper catches fish.
-Greek Proverb
-Greek Proverb
In her article, "Can Babies Read and Write?" in the Beginnings Workshop curriculum unit, Young Children and Writing, Deb Curtis draws this conclusion:
"Adults have all the power in children’s lives. We are their window and access to safety, comfort, and engaging experiences. Children are smart enough to know this from the time they are babies. They have laser-like attention to what we care about and they want to imitate, please, and be a part of what we say and do. If you look at cultures around the world, children learn to do what adults value and believe children can accomplish because this is what they focus on and take time to teach children to do.
"But with this power comes responsibility. Young children can learn about literacy if that is what we care about and focus on with eager attention in a playful, loving relationship. But we should ask ourselves: What are we and they missing when we spend so much of our time focused on literacy skills? What about the scientific discoveries and magic in a puddle of water; the complex, creative work of pretend play; the deep, spiritual connections from time together in the natural world; or the adventure and sense of accomplishment in toddling up a hill? Babies can read and write, but should they?"
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Comments (5)
Displaying All 5 CommentsUnited States
Yes babies have laser-like attention - so why are so many of the adults in their lives have the heads tipped down focused on their cell phones?? There is an entire generation of children being ignored who are trying to "attend" to their adults but who are preoccupied with their smart phones.
We need more public awareness of this bad habit.
Children imitate what their adults value. Sad.
United States
I enjoyed reading this article. I'm always happy to read articles about common sense education. It's important to note, though, that these methods are not new. Homeschoolers have been using this method, commonly called unschooling, for years. There have also been schools, called Free schools, that follow this philosophy. Anyone who is interested in learning more could start by doing internet research on unschooling and by reading books by John Taylor Ghatto and John Holt (among others).
Natural, holistic education is best for all students, not just the youngest ones.
DE, United States
The focus should be on engaging children in fun activities whether related to literacy or other types of learning. We read to our children and share stories with them. We talk about the pictures in books. They watch us write and we enjoy their scribbles and tell them what good writers they are. Talking with our children about what is going on around them and allowing them to share their ideas whether orally or through pictures or both is key to developing language and literacy. This natural approach is better suited to young children and we shouldn't rush to provide them with the pushed down curriculum which we now see in kindergarten classrooms.
Spirit Child Yoga & RECE
Aurora, ON, Canada
Thank you for sharing this common sense, and heart-centered take on this issue. I met a mom who had taught her 17 month old over 70 sight words by having him sit, strapped in his seat, and using daily repetition. To what end?
United States
Excellent point -- "babies can read and write, but should they?" As Americans, for the last few decades, we have been in a big hurry to get our children through childhood so they can engage in the serious work of the world. In doing this we are forgetting, and losing, the valuable experiences of childhood that are found in play and exploration for their own sake, and not for some other end.
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