Why doesn't my child like reading? What does a child need to be able and want to read? You could say that you should know the letters, it should be an exciting story and off you go.
Correct in itself, but in order for the letters to be recognized and stored at all, it is worth taking a look behind the scenes. "One thing is certain, there is no innate system for reading in our brain. (...) Our brain is the same as that of our ancestors who lived 20,000 years ago. (...) We read and write with a brain that is not specifically designed for this" (Prof. Lauren Cohen, neurologist, Hôpital de la Salpetière).
Put simply, we only have one area in the brain for symbols. And no area for reading, writing or arithmetic. Before that, there was the area for movement. Once the control of our movement is coordinated and thus automated, the way is clear for thinking. Balance (physical, mental, emotional), movement and thinking are closely connected.
How do we learn to read?
Visual perception is the central skill. The word image must be recognized, absorbed and decoded. This requires two processes to take place simultaneously. The phonological process, which is responsible for reconstructing the word, and the semantic process, which develops the meaning of the word. We hear the words we read and imagine what they mean. For this to happen smoothly, there needs to be a smooth transition between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. The brain bar must be overcome in order to be able to read.
Reading means cinema in the head
If our ability to visualize is blocked, we resort to listening. However, this auditory perception is of little help to us in German, which is less phonetic than Italian, for example. This causes us particular difficulties when writing. Vase quickly becomes 'Wase'. Seeing, hearing and moving as well as the cognitive prerequisites such as perceiving, processing, remembering and structuring are the basic requirements for learning to read, write and do arithmetic.
Foundation for a satisfied life
Reading, writing and arithmetic are the basic skills for a happy and successful life. We learn these skills in elementary school and they form the foundation for the rest of our lives. That is why these first years of school are very important. After all, the experience gained during this time is crucial for dealing with our cultural techniques of reading, writing and arithmetic and for our further approach to learning.
It pays to be mindful. A reading weakness and the resulting reluctance to read can quickly affect other subjects. Observe what prevents your child from discovering new things behind the covers of a book. Keep experimenting with different materials and try to set an example yourself. It is important for the child to experience that reading is not an obstacle to gaining further knowledge for themselves. Even books only consist of words and these only consist of 26 letters. Reading is the key to the toolbox of life. It is learned in elementary school, but it is practiced and trained so that it becomes automatic and can therefore bring pleasure, during leisure time at home.
Reading difficulties - a taboo subject in our society
We are always shocked when we see the high percentage of people in our society who have problems with this cultural technique. People who have difficulties with it are afraid to admit it. Schools also find it difficult to deal with these figures and they reject responsibility. Reading is a basic prerequisite for being able to acquire other skills later on. It is therefore all the more important to ensure that this necessary tool is experienced and practiced in a playful way in one's own environment so that it can bring long-term enjoyment.
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