School readiness for news starters

school readiness for new starters!

With the new school year on the horizon, many parents are thinking about how their children will cope with the challenges and demands of school life. In this article, we look at school readiness and what it means for children who are about to start school.

What is school readiness?

The term ‘school readiness’ refers to whether a child is ready to start school. While many people think about the academic aspects of starting school, such as a child’s ability to write their name or count to 10, there is a much broader set of skills that a child needs to master to be ‘school ready. These include concentrating, regulating emotions, playing with other children, and going to the toilet independently.

Why are school readiness skills important?

School readiness skills are important because they allow school teachers to further develop a child’s skills across various situations, including social interactions, language, literacy, fine motor skills and play. Children who do not have these basic skills can spend a lot of their school time trying to catch up with the rest of the class. Children who are school-ready and have these basic skills tend to advance quickly. School readiness skills at a glance > social skills - being able to get along with other children and play both independently and with others > emotional maturity - being able to manage their emotions, focus on tasks, and follow directions from teachers > language skills - being able to speak clearly, understand stories, and identify some letters and sounds > cognitive skills – being able to wait and take turns and show basic problem-solving skills > physical health and coordination - being able to grip a pencil (fine motor skills) and run, jump, and climb (gross motor skills) > independence - being able to do basic tasks without adult supervision, such as going to the toilet, dressing, unpacking their lunch and looking after their belongings

What can you do to help?

> If you are unsure whether your child is ready to start school, talk to your child’s preschool/ kindergarten teacher or early childhood educator. You might also like to try some basic activities at home.

Remember, preschool children learn best through play. > have play dates with other children starting at the same school > let your child practise drawing or using stickers > encourage your child to dress and undress themselves and use the toilet independently > encourage conversation! Ask your child about how they feel or what they like or don’t like. > read with your child as much as possible > practice counting with your child > play games where your child can practise taking turns, sharing, and waiting Aside from all the great things you can do at home to get your child school-ready, you might also like to think about making a few appointments with your family doctor, dentist, or optometrist to make sure that your child can see, hear and play to their fullest ability. Talk to the team at DPV Health for more information. 9