Gwendolyn's reading skills are steadily improving, and at an alarming rate. She now tries to read anything that is in front of her, asking for help only when her memory and her efforts to sound out unfamiliar words fail her. Bedtime story time is often equal parts Mama reading to Gwendolyn and Gwendolyn returning the favour.
Another example of Gwendolyn's growing skill with language is evidenced by the picture above. Mama and Gwendolyn have invented a lovely, simple game where they have "conversations" comprised of short written notes to each other. We assure you that Gwendolyn writes her responses herself, again rarely asking for, and in fact resisting offers of help. It's hard to believe that just a week or two ago, she asked us to spell out almost every word she was writing!
Sometimes her syntax and spelling is off (she spelled "purple" as "prpl" in one note today), and her letterforms can be hard to decipher, but her meaning is always clear. Daddy and Mama are a bit stunned at her progress -- she is only four, after all -- and very proud of their little lover of words.
Note to parents: read, read, read to your kids. And then read to them some more. And don't forget to include them in your conversations, no matter how complex you think them to be. (If your child is like our Gwendolyn, she'll regularly insinuate herself into the conversation if you forget to invite her in!)
No comments:
Post a Comment