Outcome 4.2

Describes how parents, peers & communities may see, feel & shape young children’s early literacy & numeracy experiences    

Outcomes 3.1 and 2.2 can be used as examples of parents shaping children’s literacy and numeracy experiences. As the post on these two outcomes shows, by singing, dancing, and interacting with music, children are experiencing and developing literacy and numeracy concepts, skills, and ideas. By encouraging these types of experiences, parents are helping to shape young children’s literacy and numeracy experiences.

They may not be aware that they are doing so, however. The parents of Mini Warbler may just be thinking that they are encouraging his interest in a television show, in dancing, and in singing, as well as in dressing up and performing. These all have their own benefits for young children, including increasing confidence, motor skills, physical development and health, and creativity. Depending on the mindset of the parents they may think they are encouraging all or any one of these developmental benefits. They might not realise they are helping the development of their child at all, and may just encourage young Mini Warbler to continue his dancing, singing, Warbling activities because they think it is cute, or because it allows him to entertain himself without specific adult supervision. Similarly Drake Dixon’s parents, and the parents of the child dancing to Single Ladies, might not be aware of the many benefits, literacy and numeracy related benefits included, that these children are receiving from their involvement with music, signing, and dancing.

It is unlikely that the parents of these children disapprove or find their interest annoying (due to their appearance in YouTube clips), however some parents, siblings, other family members, friends, and peers could find a child’s interest in signing, dancing, and performing to music and videos annoying, repetitive, loud, irritating, or intrusive to their own lives. These sorts of parents might discourage their children from engaging in these sorts of beneficial activities.

Additionally early childhood educators in childcare, kindergarten, or early school years could fail to see the benefits of these types of activities, or they could place too much emphasis on these activities and fail to notice children’s lack of interest (which could have many negative side effects to development or future interest), whether this lack of interest is there from the start or grows due to continual force participation.

Parents, educators, peers, siblings, friends, and other members in children’s lives have the ability to shape the literacy and numeracy experiences of children. The way that these people shape these experiences depends on how they see and feel about activities such as singing, dancing, and interacting with music. Encouraging these sorts of activities, whether because they are aware of the literacy, numeracy and other benefits of singing and dancing, or whether they just believe it is cute, can help children’s literacy and numeracy development through something that they enjoy and wish to engage in naturally. Forcing this sort of activity on children due to the benefits may have negative side effects on children, creating mental barrier against these sorts of activities in the future. Discouraging children’s interest in singing and dancing could also have negative effects on children’s future participation, as well as their literacy and numeracy development.