When to start learning letters etc

[Elf]

I´ve just read a recent post about Montessouri schools as I am trying to find out about the early years. As Jimjams said in that discussion, at Steiner Schools, they don´t learn reading and writing skills until the age of 7.

I don´t know a lot about Steiner schools but what I have heard I like. What I would like to learn more about is why they don´t teach reading and writing until such a "late" age. Presumably there is some research to show that concentrating on creative activities (if that is what they do) is good for the kids.

Does anyone know more about this or know of a book which I could read about different approaches to the early years in education. Thank you in advance. BTW I am using an internet cafe so it will probably be a few days before I get back online.

Hi elf. It all goes back to Steiner's philosophy. He did a lot of research into how children learn. The steiner schools have stuck rigidly to it- some say too rigidly

Steiner felt there were various phases of childhood and that children weren't ready to symbolise (this is very simplistic as I haven't read a lot on this) until after they had lost thier milk teeth (I don't think it has anything to do with losing the teeth- that just happens to coincide with the time when he felt they were ready to move onto the abstract). So therefore no reading until they had dealt with the concrete.

In practice what this means is that children spend their kindergarten years doing lots of things except writing. A lot of effort is put in to improve pre-writing skills- they do a lot of handicraft and a lot of art. I know one of the local Steiner schools does introduce letters- in that they'll grow cress seeds in the shape of letters etc. They also do things like plays, gardening, making soup and bread etc etc.

The best way really to see whether it is for you is to visit a Steiner school. You can find out more on the web- there's a lot under anthroposophical- or under Steiner itself.

In the exam crazed culture of todays education system it can make a lovely alternative. And the graduates of our local school certainly do go onto places like Cambridge, or become doctors so the lack of exams doesn't get in the way of that. Maybe you could see if you could go along to your local school's parent and toddler group- that'll give you some idea of whether you'll like it. Often a good place to pick up organic bread etc as well

oh but one word of warning- the toddlers kind of wave their hand over a candle at one stage in the proceeding. My mother almost passed out when she saw it. I didn't dare take my MIL

thanks Jimjams. That's a bit more information for me. I'm actually living abroad at the moment and am slightly concerned about what will happen to dd, I shall have to find out if they have any "alternative" schools here at all, let alone Steiner. thanks again.

Hi Elf, I am a primary school teacher, and one of the reasons teachers are so against testing etc is because of exactly some of the things steiner says. Small children learn through exploration and play so much more than through paper and pencil work. There is no point in teaching reading and writing until the children are conceptually ready. Which is why so many schools in Europe start later are start with more play based activities. Just to give you one example to illustrate, when a child starts drawing, they scribble, and eventually move on to drawing people as circles with legs and arms. Then they draw 2 circles to represent head and body. That child can't distinguish between an "a" and a "d" or between an "n" and an "h" until they can drwad a person as 2 circles. So I my ideal school reception classes would do loads of play and creative stuff. Also, when you start later, the children tend to learn faster, because they are ready.
Sorry I could go on, I wish we could get back to more play in our education system, and take the pressure of littlies. I am overseas too, but my ds is only 5 months! Hope you find somewhere that you like. Good luck

elf ,

Can't remember where you are but are there International schools in your neck of the woods. Our ds is at one which subscribes to the Early Years Curriculum of the International Bacclaureat (Sp?). There is an emphasis on learning through play rather than sweating for hours over worksheets and books which seems to phase out towards Grade 1 (6-7 yr olds)and the form of play is often child led.

In the meantime there is little pressure for the kids specifically to learn to read unless they demonstrate an active interest although they do have literacy in the background, focussing on a letter per week, for example. Classes are small by British standards (16 max) with teacher and assistant in each classroom. There is something of an American bias to the style of ds' school which may also be reflected in the pace of teaching. I detect more pressure to maintain the UK pace of early learning in the smaller independent Preschools here than at ds' school. I'm sure other international schools would differ from his but they might be worth looking into if you have the opportunity.