All Info About Reading

 Traditional literature is stories and rhymes that cultures pass down through generations to be enjoyed by children for many, many years. In our culture, some common examples are the rhymes of Mother Goose,  stories from Hans Christian Anderson, and other “fairy tales” that have  been enjoyed for centuries. These stories are fun to tell, fun to hear, and many have important lessons or ideas to teach children. Modern  psychologists are finding that these traditional tales teach concepts of good triumphing over evil, not to judge by outward appearances, to persevere in difficult circumstances, and many other ideas that are important to human growth and development.

Children’s exposure to traditional literature can begin at birth. Infants  respond to the rhymes and rhythms of Mother Goose at a very early age, and some experts believe that the rhymes help with language development. Some can be sung, and all of them can be clapped or rocked. Your young child will find them both soothing and interesting. As  the baby grows, he or she will enjoy matching pictures to familiar rhymes, recalling missing words, and supplying entire lines. Manyidioms and sayings in our language have roots in these rhymes, and research shows that the rhymes have connections back into English and  European history.

Fairy tales also are an important part of our culture, and children benefitfrom hearing them early and often. Many tales involve the triumph ofgood over evil, a foundation of good mental health. Look for patterns  about young children managing big problems, not by superior size or  strength, but by cleverness or skill. Some feel that these examples willnurture self-confidence in our adult-dominated world. Have you noticed  how many of these stories tell of people in poor circumstances that rise  to riches and “live happily ever after”? This can build hope for a better  life, which we all want for our children. There are also moral lessons in  these tales. The hard-working pig in “The Three Little Pigs” makes out  the best. The kind daughter is the most successful in many stories.

On a more practical level, these stories encourage many skills that are  foundational to later reading and writing. If you choose older editions and  tellings, children will learn many new words. It’s been proven that  children can learn to read words in their vocabulary better than unfamiliar  ones. Give your child a head start by using lots of descriptive words to   expand vocabulary. The recurrence of threes in the stories is no  accident…our human mind operates well with that number. Children will find it easier to remember and retell many of these stories, building memory and language comprehension skills.

Exploring traditional literature from other cultures is another avenue to capture children’s interest in reading and learning. Many other countries  and peoples have a rich folk literature heritage, and the stories are new and exciting to children. Older kids will be intrigued to see patterns across cultures. Some stories will sound remarkably familiar. This can be a super springboard for learning about other aspects of the culture, as well. Try ethnic foods, read about life in the country, and compare languages.

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© 2005 Sandra Fleming