Establishing A Home Learning Environment
What is a home learning environment?
A home learning environment consists of the everyday interactions, experiences and activities children have at home that promote learning. You don’t need any special equipment or costly resources. It’s made up of those simple moments that occur between children and their families.
When children feel safe and supported at home they feel confident to talk. Encouraging children to talk and listening to them everyday will improve their speaking and listening skills.
Why home environment matters?
Children acquire language best through meaningful life experiences and daily interactions. Family conversation patterns and how adults listen and respond to children greatly impact communication development.
When children feel understood at home they will…
- Learn words and word meanings
- Share ideas and emotions
- Feel confident communicating
- Enhance social and emotional abilities
- Advance critical thinking skills
The abilities your child builds at home will support their lifelong learning.
Features of a positive home learning environment
🗨️ Daily conversations
Communicating with children throughout the day can allow them to learn new vocabulary and language structures.
👂 Listening
Listening to children is essential as it allows them to know their ideas and opinions matter and will encourage them to continue sharing.
📚 Reading Books
Allowing children to be read to and hear lots of stories will support their vocabulary, imagination and comprehension skills.
🎲 Learning through play
Children learn through play and can develop language skills through being creative, telling stories and engaging with others.
😍 Encouragement
Children learn when they feel safe and nurtured so encouragement is key.
Easy ways to help with Language at home
You can help your child communicate by:
- Talking during daily routines - mealtime, shopping, getting in the car etc.
- Asking questions.
- Building on what your child says.
- Singing songs/rhymes.
- Playing pretend and telling stories.
Tiny steps can make a BIG difference.
Supporting Families Who Speak More Than One Language
Children learn from families who speak more than one language. Maintaining the home language affirms a child's identity, culture and belonging.
You can help by:
- Encouraging parents to keep using their home language.
- Creating opportunities for children to hear and practice both languages.
- Helping children communicate naturally and meaningfully.
Multilingualism has many advantages and is good for child development.
Finding Daily Learning Opportunities
Kids can learn language outside of specific learning opportunities. Many daily tasks can include communication.
Some Ideas:
- Discuss what you are doing when cooking
- Point out things and describe your surroundings on outings
- Ask your children questions about their day
Children learn by associating language with their daily life.
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