Short but intense training sessions in the form of
structured language games from the age of four can stimulate children's
early language development and may also make it easier for children to
learn to read. This is found in a current research project at the
University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Previous research has shown that children's reading development can
be stimulated with structured and playful language games from the age of
six. In a current three-year study, researchers at the University of
Gothenburg are exploring the effects of having children as young as four
participate in such games. The hypothesis is that young children who
are actively stimulated in their development of so-called linguistic and
phonological awareness end up better prepared for dealing with written
language.
Linguistic awareness means that the child is aware of his or
her own language, what it sounds like and how it consists of words and
sentences. Phonological awareness implies an awareness of the sound
structure of the language, which is important for the early stages of
reading development and for understanding the connection between letters
and sounds.
