The Role of Parents and Caregivers

Research tells us that even before the actual moment of birth, a child is developing the framework that will eventually (usually at the age of 6 or 7) enable him or her to read and write. Somewhere near the child’s first birthday, the speech centres of the brain are poised to produce what is perhaps the most magical moment of childhood—the first spoken word.

As parents and caregivers, we play an integral role in this process. We are the lens through which our children view the world. We are a child’s first and most important teacher.

We provide the experiences and interactions that build a healthy environment in which all learning, including literacy, can occur.

Parents of newborns bear a special responsibility in this regard—in effect, they lay the groundwork of literacy by giving children their first exposure to conversations, words and books. In practical terms, parents can nurture early literacy in their children by:

• spending time with their children;
• communicating with their children; and
• making sure books are an important part of their child’s life.