What You Asked Us on Pre-Academics

Practical insights from expert teachers and practitioners. Learn better. Play smarter. | [View this email in your browser]( Parenting made simpler. Written by experts. Designed for intentional parents. Be a Plinkit Pro Thank you for reading! This newsletter is made possible through Plinkit Pro membership support. Please consider being a [PLINKIT PRO]( if you aren't already, to enjoy access to all our expert guidance and events. No ads. No sponsored content. Just original, time-saving, practical insights written in partnership with the best child development experts. Or, [email us](mailto:hello@myplinkit.com) to find out how your entire school or workplace can benefit from [PLINKIT PRO.]( [BE A PLINKIT PRO]( What You Asked Us on Pre-Academics We’ve been analyzing the [report from the U.S. Department of Education]( that shows sharp declines in both reading and math scores during the pandemic. While it's incredibly disappointing, we’re not surprised. The disruption to in-person learning experienced over the last 2.5 years was bound to impact childrens' learning progress. Now that children are back in school, our parent community often asks what they should be focusing on when it comes to pre-academics. We emphasize the benefits of a strong parent-teacher partnership. (That’s why we’re proud that all of our content at Plinkit is guided by expert teachers and practitioners.) This week, we're sharing questions from our readers on pre-academics and the Plinkit sound bites that continue to stick, even as children mature. (More details, answers to these questions and how to implement these learnings at home are in our articles below.) - Language development: "My toddler isn’t speaking much. Is that a problem?" - For language learning, focus on back-and-forth interactions. Research proves that the number of 'conversational turns' is more important for brain development than the number of words you use. "Talk with your child, not just to your child." - Handwriting: "My child’s writing is messy. Is there something wrong with their handwriting?" - Handwriting challenges can present in many different ways and often need a targeted solution. However, fine motor skills develop from gross motor skills. Before expecting a child to have efficient handwriting and precision and control with writing utensils, they must first develop their core strength. - Writing backwards: "My child is writing their letters backwards. Is this a sign of something?" - While reversing letters could possibly indicate a learning difference, it is also extremely common in many neurotypical children. Our brains have been evolutionarily wired to visually recognize shapes and objects as the same thing, regardless of direction. - Math: "My child scored poorly on their math quiz. Do they need external support?" - There are three foundational themes in math learning (flexibility, accuracy and efficiency) and each are equally important. Test scores may not appropriately reflect all of these themes. - Hating math: "My child keeps saying that they’re not good at math. How can I make my child 'like' math?" - It’s not uncommon for children to dislike math. (Usually, it's connected to the speed with which a child feels they can't 'do math' - "I’m not fast at math, ergo I'm not good at math".) Emphasize growth mindset with specific talk around building your child’s brain muscles, and their understanding of how math is relevant in the world. - Reading: "My child is starting to learn to read. Is it just about sounding out letters or what else do I need to know?" - Learning to read is empowering for a child, and research shows that phonics instruction should be explicit and systematic and requires direct teaching in a defined sequence: Phonemic awareness + Phonics knowledge + Decoding + Vocabulary + Comprehension = Fluency - Spelling: "Should I correct my child’s spelling?" - It depends - on their developmental age, the purpose for which they are writing and the intended audience of their work. As more data comes out from the pandemic, there will be more questions. But, test scores are an imperfect measure of learning. We hope to see studies that measure other important variables that were also impacted, like social and emotional development, socialization and communication skills, love of learning and a whole host of other life readiness skills. Finally, for those who celebrate, wishing you a happy Diwali that brings joy, prosperity and happiness! PLINKIT POST [How to Encourage Language Development]( Use daily strategies from a speech-language pathologist to encourage your child to engage in dialogue and use more language. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2018%2F02%2Fencourage-language-development%2F) [Share]( PLINKIT POST [Fine Motor Skills, Handwriting and How to Hold a Pencil]( Understand the basics of fine motor skills, how to hold a writing instrument and how to solve common handwriting issues. Plus, curated writing tools from a pediatric OT. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2020%2F02%2Fimprove-fine-motor-skills-that-impact-handwriting%2F) [Share]( PLINKIT POST [On Writing Backwards]( Discover what it can mean when your child reverses their letters and the key learning tools to support their practice. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2019%2F01%2Fon-writing-backwards-2%2F) [Share]( PLINKIT POST [Math Basics: Counting]( Find out why learning to count is critical to learning well and how to do it playfully and effectively. A bite-size guide with scripts, games, learning tools and books. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2018%2F03%2Fteach-math-basics-part-2-counting%2F) [Share]( PLINKIT POST [Essential Math Terms, Concepts + Tools for Your Child]( Learn the primary concepts used by teachers to get a clearer understanding of how math skills are developed. Packed with tools and how to use them. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2020%2F09%2Fessential-math-concepts-terms-education-learning-tools-kids%2F) [Share]( PLINKIT POST [How to Encourage Your Child's Math Thinking]( Key things to remember when teaching your child math, and 5 questions to ask your child to nurture their motivation. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2020%2F03%2Fhow-to-encourage-your-childs-math-thinking%2F) [Share]( PLINKIT POST [(Academically) Teach Reading in 6 Steps]( A sequence to help structure your approach on a complex topic. Includes printables, learning tools and games. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2017%2F09%2F6-steps-academically-teaching-reading%2F) [Share]( PLINKIT POST [How to Help Your Child Learn to Spell]( "Should I correct my child’s spelling?" It depends. Here’s why and a series of steps to try. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2020%2F05%2Fhelp-your-child-learn-how-to-spell%2F) [Share]( Learn better. Play smarter. [EXPLORE OUR TOPICS]( FOLLOW US: If you liked what you read, FORWARD to a friend! Our content is written in partnership with the best child development experts. No ads. No sponsored recommendations. Just original content. This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( Plinkit · Parenting made simpler. · Written by experts. Designed for intentional parents., California 94118 · USA [Mailchimp Email Marketing](