Correct Answer - Option 2 : Dialogue
Learning in primary school:
- Children learn in different ways – some learn by seeing, some by hearing, some by reading, some by doing.
- And at this stage, children still learn through play. Plenty of unstructured, free play helps balance formal lessons at school. It also gives children a chance to unwind after the routines and rules of school.
- Children also learn by using objects in many different ways. When your child is experimenting, exploring and creating with a range of materials, they learn about problem-solving in situations where there are no set or ‘right’ answers.
- Children aren’t born with social skills – they have to learn them, just like they have to learn to read and write. Giving your child chances to play with other children is a great way for them to develop skills for getting on with others.
- Your child’s community connections can offer valuable learning experiences too. For example, visiting the local shops, parks, playgrounds and libraries or walking around your neighbourhood helps your child understand how communities work. As you and your child explore your community together, you can talk to your child about interesting things that you see or share things that you know make dialogue with them.
- If your family speaks a language other than English at home, this can be a great way for your child to grow up as a bilingual learner. Learning more than one language doesn’t harm or hold back children’s development. In fact, being a bilingual child can have a lot of advantages – for example, better reading and writing skills.
- When you know how your child learns best, you can help your child with all areas of learning. For example, if your child seems to learn best by seeing and doing but needs to write a story for school, they could make a comic strip to organise their ideas.
Tips for learning at primary school:
Here are some practical tips for helping your primary school-age child learn:
- Show an interest in what your child is doing and learning by talking about school.
- Play rhyming games, letter games, and shape and number games with your child, and practise taking turns in games and activities.
- Use simple language, and play with words and word meanings – for example, you could clap out the syllables of words or play word association games.
- Keep reading to your child even when your child can read by themselves.
- Let your child hear and see plenty of new words in books, on TV or in general conversation, and talk about what the words mean.
- Make sure your child has time for free, unstructured play.
- Help your child discover what they’re good at by encouraging your child to try plenty of different activities that involve dialogue with doing.
