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Starting School 3: Foundational Academic Skills
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Starting School 3: Foundational Academic Skills

Building a Solid Foundation through Fun and Engaging Play

Sian Thomas's avatar
Sian Thomas
Jul 27, 2023
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Starting School 3: Foundational Academic Skills
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Do you remember the very first email where I talked about school starting age differing from country to country? It’s really important to keep that in mind when looking at the skills covered in this email. Ultimately, we’re using 5 as our average age for these skills to be developed.

Depending on your child’s birthday, they might be extremely young when starting school. For example, if their birthday is in August and school starts in September, they might be with children who are almost a whole year older than them. In the early years, each month definitely still counts. Whilst this series of emails doesn’t focus on choosing a school; home-schooling or deferring placement, being a ‘young’ starter is the reason some parents will opt to keep their children in preschool and defer for a year.

On the flip-side, age isn’t always an indicator of academic skills. Some children have a natural affinity for numbers and grasp mathematical concepts way beyond what is expected. Others might read fluently from the get-go without much additional input at all. Children who are far above their age in any subject, can be considered as ‘gifted and talented’ (GT) and are often given additional support. When I was teaching, I had a group of GT children who came to me for such support in reading.

Again, avoid the comparison trap.

My own daughter falls into the GT category for reading, requiring separate support and different reading materials to the rest of her class. Thankfully, I can also help her develop her comprehension skills at home, too - because every teacher knows that understanding texts is just as important as being able to read the words.  In comparison, my eldest son initially struggled with reading but in grade 2, everything suddenly clicked. He then scored way above the national averages and outlined banded range of achievements in the Australian National Assessment program tests for reading. Finally, my youngest son is ticking along just fine with reading at a level expected for his age.

What’s my point here? Am I simply showing off my children’s achievements? No, what I’m saying is that, even within the same family (with the same basic support levels and resources), abilities can differ.

This is very much a holistic approach to getting ready for school and your child absolutely does not have to have perfected everything mentioned

It’s vital to remember that learning should be fun and engaging, especially at this tender age. Instead, we’re aiming to instil a genuine love for learning and a strong foundational understanding of key concepts.

Here’s what we’ll cover this week:

  • Fine and Gross Motor Skills: The Building Blocks

  • Mark Making and Pre-writing Skills: Every Scribble Counts

  • what’s in a name? Helping your child to recognise their name

  • fostering a love for reading: learning to read isn’t a competition

  • Understanding early mathematics: More than Counting

  • The importance of following your child’s interests

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