The foundations of reading and writing are found in everyday interactions as opposed to formal drills and workbooks, with the message “marks have meaning” an important one to remember.
Guardian Chief Quality and Curriculum Officer Kathryn Waugh said the real foundations of literacy lay in understanding the importance of signs and symbols all around us.
“Learning to read is learning that marks carry meaning. It is not drilling with flash cards and rote learning,” Kathryn said.
She said the journey to becoming a reader and writer began long before school, with literacy development not a single moment, but a long progression of small steps that started from birth.
“There are many small steps children take that give them the knowledge, skills and experience to be able to read and write successfully.”
Kathryn said a heavy reliance on devices such as flash cards could limit a child’s ability to think, wonder and explore.
“If parents focus too heavily on ‘memorisation of the right answer’, they risk reducing literacy to a narrow task rather than a broad developmental process.”
She said the small steps needed could be deceptively simple.
“A toddler learning which way to hold a book is engaging in early literacy.
“A preschooler who points out the first letter of their name on a locker or cereal box is beginning to recognise symbols in the world around them.”
Kathryn said over time those small, yet important recognitions build into bigger understandings, such as spotting their name on a list, identifying letters in new settings and eventually interpreting symbols in daily life.
“The developmental pathway, however, is far from linear. While there are recognised milestones that support the development of strong literacy and language skills, children are individuals who ‘dance along’ this pathway in unique ways, often circling back to skills they previously acquired.”
“Becoming a reader involves experiencing joy and building confidence as children see themselves as communicators.”
Kathryn said Educators focused heavily on language development through conversations and meaningful experiences, not repetitive drills.
“The goal is to support children to be independent learners who can interpret new symbols and situations.
“This is a crucial skill in a world rapidly changing through technology.”
She said emojis were a great example.
“We didn’t encounter emojis when we began to learn to read and write as children, but most of us would use this form of text almost every day.
“It is not difficult to imagine that by the time our young children are adults there will be other forms of communication.”
Kathryn said families should be encouraged to look outward and notice the everyday “messages in marks” that surrounded children.
She said young learners could “read” road signs, pedestrian lights and common symbols long before they could sound out words.
“For instance, when a child recognises that a red standing figure means stop and a green walking figure means go, this is reading.”
Kathryn encouraged parents to pause and celebrate these moments rather than jumping in with quick explanations.
“Giving children time to wonder helps build deeper thinking and problem-solving skills.”
She emphasised that families could nurture a love of reading by incorporating joyful reading moments into their everyday lives.
“Reading aloud daily, choosing books children adore, and delighting in rhythm, rhyme and word patterns all help tune children’s ears to language and build lifelong habits of reading for pleasure.
“Literacy grows from rich, meaningful experiences. When parents help children notice the symbols, patterns and stories woven through everyday life, they are not just teaching reading, they are nurturing curious, confident learners capable of making sense of an ever-evolving world.”
