Featured on Young Parents Magazine, August 2017: The Best Gift For Your Child: Early Literacy

Speaking well, being able to read, and knowing how to write effectively are skills we all need to succeed in life. But did you know that the younger your child is when he picks up these crucial literacy skills, the faster he’s likely to develop intellectually?

Why early literacy matters

Experts say that 90 per cent of brain growth happens by the age of five. If Junior has had a high-quality education by this age, he’s 40 per cent less likely to be held back a grade and 70 per cent more likely to complete secondary school.

A child’s vocabulary starts to form when he is as young as three, with kids picking up the language spoken by family members and being exposed to more complex and sophisticated words through stories. These early interactions go on to influence their ability to read, write and speak when they’re older. Experts also say that children who grow up in a literacy-rich environment aren’t just more cognitively developed; they are also better prepared for success in school.

Singapore parents have plenty of choices when it comes to preschools that focus on literacy. But why settle if you can go for Little Green House’s Literacy SMART programme, voted the “Best Literacy Programme” in 2017?

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How the Literacy SMART programme works

Little Green House immerses your preschooler in a literacy-rich environment to hone his basic, intermediate and advanced literacy skills. It’s especially beneficial to those without a strong foundation in writing, reading and speaking due to limited exposure at home. It provides a variety of teaching aids and activities, such as:

  • Richly stocked age-appropriate readers from award-winning writers
  • Audio learning stations and activity corners
  • Class discussion on current-affairs articles
  • Fun activities, games and quizzes
  • Role play and classroom projects

The programme also identifies each kid’s strengths and weaknesses, and coaches the gradual and sustained development of the child to become a fluent reader, a confident speaker and a budding writer by the age of six.

Powering the brain

Proper nutrition can’t be overlooked to support Junior’s cognitive development. This is why Little Green House centres serve nutritious yet tasty set meals, made with plenty of wholegrains, fruit and vegetables, using less fat, sugar and salt.

The cooks and centre supervisors are trained to use healthier cooking methods and healthier ingredients like brown rice and wholemeal bread. They are also given advice on healthy menu planning. All centres are HMCCP (Healthy Meals in Childcare Centres Programme)-certified by the Health Promotion Board.

As part of the school’s core curriculum, the children are also taught the importance of good nutrition and healthy food preparation so that they can continue to cultivate these positive habits at home.

Original Article: http://www.youngparents.com.sg/sponsored/best-gift-child-early-literacy/

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