1. Developing a lifelong love of reading
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9 | HH | SEPTEMBER 2017 | cityparent.com
Developing a lifelong love of reading
The first time you hear your child confidently read aloud from a book is a very special mo- ment. You feel excited that a whole new world has opened up for them and proud that they have mastered such a difficult skill. Reading is a milestone we celebrate just like walking and talking, however children’s path to literacy is often a much different experience. As parents, we inherently understand that children learn to walk and talk at their own pace – we don’t “teach” them these skills. In today’s culture, children are expected to read by a specific time, typically when they are five or six years old. But, not all children are developmentally ready to read at this age and can experience struggles from these expectations.
At Halton Waldorf School, our curriculum supports a developmentally appropriate edu- cation for children. Lylli Anthon, Faculty Chair explains, “We believe that teaching reading only after children enter Grade 1 results in willing, lifelong readers.” Studies show that as the left brain matures and the pathway be- tween both the left and the right hemispheres develop, it becomes easier for children to sound out words and visualize meanings. This
maturation of the brain combined with rich experiences found in bodily sensation and movement contribute to reading readiness.
Through curriculum that integrates the arts, music and movement into daily practice, Halton Waldorf School creates opportuni- ties for children to have these necessary rich experiences and engage in their own learn- ing. Our early childhood programs focus on imaginative play, the true work of the child. Activities such as story-telling, singing, paint- ing and helping with the preparation of snack support the fundamental skills of memory, listening, and physical coordination. Anthon adds, “Children also have plenty of time out- doors in our natural playground for jumping, climbing, and digging in the sand. All of these activities contribute to the core foundation for reading comprehension and learning.”
The first graders at Halton Waldorf School are introduced to letters through connections to images from a story. The letter M emerges through a tale about the Mighty Mountain. The children draw the letters from the sto- ry. The relationship of the image to the let- ter sound forms the child’s basis for reading.
With practice through repetition, the children develop a deepening set of recognizable sight words. They start by reading their own writ- ten text and by second grade begin to write independently.
Throughout Grades 1 to 8, the mastery of traditional academic disciplines is interwo- ven with artistic, physical, and practical ac- tivities. By integrating academics and the arts, the Waldorf curriculum responds to the de- velopmental needs of the child focusing not only on what children learn, but how they
learn. When it comes to reading, our experi- ence shows that learning to read a little later doesn’t impact future reading abilities. An- thon concludes, “Our students often gradu- ate reading at levels beyond their age group.” Halton Waldorf School is located in Burling- ton on five acres of forested property and provides preschool to Grade 8 for more than students.
For more information about Waldorf Education, please visit