Reading and Writing are Fundamental at Huili Nurseries

At Huili Nurseries, one of our missions is to start our pupils off on their journey to becoming confident, enthusiastic and effective communicators. As soon as the children set foot into the environment on their first day, we focus on the development of their listening, comprehension and speaking skills in addition to their personal, social, emotional and physical development. Fundamental to all of this is a robust education in literacy.

Our literacy education is rooted in the Read, Write, Inc. (RWI) programme. Developed by Ruth Miskin, an experienced educator and consultant in the UK, the RWI programme takes a logical and consistent approach to learning. During a typical session the children will take part in several activities, usually in the same order. This allows them to become familiar with routines, transition seamlessly between groups and, most importantly, to build confidence in their abilities.

Our nursery in Hangzhou provides a useful case study in how the RWI programme is implemented. In EY1, for instance, the focus is on pre-reading skills, such as songs, listening games and percussion. This is called Phase One.

The seven aspects of Phase One

Aspect 1

General sound discrimination - environmental; raise children's awareness of sounds around them and develop their listening skills. 

Aspect 2

General sound discrimination - instrumental sounds; develop children's awareness of sounds made by various instruments and noise makers.

Aspect 3

General sound discrimination - body percussion; develop children's awareness of sounds and rhythms. 

Aspect 4

Rhythm and rhyme; develop children’s appreciation and experiences of rhythm and rhyme in speech. 

Aspect 5

Alliteration; the focus is on initial sounds of words, with activities including 'I Spy'-type games and matching objects which begin with the same sound. 

Aspect 6

Voice sounds; the aim is to distinguish between different vocal sounds and to begin oral blending and segmenting. 

Aspect 7

Oral blending and segmenting; develop oral blending and segmenting skills.

As pupils progress to year EY2, they continue with Phase One and focus on Aspects 4-7. Eventually we introduce the children to RWI's Set One sounds, which enable them to start reading simple words quickly. Teaching words that are linked to concrete objects is a particularly effective method, so lessons focus on objects that our pupils will see in the classroom or at home.

Once the children are settled into their daily routine, EY2, 3 and 4 teachers make regular assessments of their pupils' performance. We then look at collected data and plan phonics groups accordingly. New assessments enable our teachers to tailor their teaching to our pupils' needs.

But a robust literacy education does not end at the walls of the classroom. We see Huili parents as partners in education, and their children's literacy is one area where they can play an active role. Our teachers at Huili Nursery Shanghai have several helpful suggestions on how parents can get their young children excited about reading.

1. Become a great storyteller yourself

When reading with your child, your tone, gestures and facial expressions can leave a deep and lasting impression on them. Try assuming the characters in the book by using different voices when they speak in the story. If you are reading a thriller, pretend to be scared and ask your child to hold onto you. If the plot is light and humorous, laugh with your child. If the characters face a problem, frown, sigh or shake your head in empathy. Your enthusiasm will make the reading experience more engaging for your child, leaving a deeper, longer lasting impression.

2. Ask your child questions around the book

Reading to your child is more than just dictating the words you see on the page. We encourage parents and children to interact with the text and with each other while reading. Asking questions will encourage your child to explore the book more deeply and think critically about it. It can be a truly delightful experience. Ask your child to observe and identify various details of the book, like the cover and the artwork inside as well as the content of the story. Try to make connections between your child's life experiences and the people, events and items within the story as well. Exercises like this will help your child develop their memory and enhance story comprehension.

3. Ask your child to tell you stories 

Children often ask to be read the same book over and over again, leading parents to worry that their child has a narrow interest in reading. However, this is simply because children feel safe with familiar stories. They like knowing what exactly will happen next. 

If you feel like you and your child are stuck in a rut with the same book, try reversing roles. Ask them to tell you a story instead. You can also create different plots together based on the original storyline. Change the ending or add an extra character and see what happens. This not only enables your child to experience telling a story on their own, it helps them to develop their capacity for imagination and expression.

There are many other ways to read with your children as well: drawing a story picture, role playing at home, recording as you read and many other activities that can make the experience more stimulating and engaging.

Huili nurseries strive to make reading a lifelong habit in our children. We hold a diverse range of reading activities and hope that our children will explore the joy of reading for the rest of their lives.

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At Huili nurseries, we give our children time and space to develop their literacy skills and always base our teaching on their joy in communicating and the love of books and the written word. Cultivating literacy skills should be enjoyable, leading our pupils to see reading as a hobby and not a chore. Our partnerships with parents make this possible and we continue to be proud our pupils' progress.

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