Starting Early Sets the Stage for Success
Starting Early Sets the Stage for Success By Margaret P. Kring, FAEMSP President Principal of Moseley Elementary School, Putnam County Public Schools "The earlier, the better" is something that we often hear both inside and outside of education. In the case of preparing our students to be college and career ready, starting early with learning experiences in literacy, oral language, social skills, and math is certainly a key to success especially for children in high poverty areas. The importance of oral language development and literacy cannot be emphasized enough. Oral and written communication skills are basic life skills. However, a child’s ability to communicate through oral language can be a barrier to academic success or an asset to academic achievement. In designing early childhood programs (PreK to Grade 2), oral language experiences should be priorities for a number of reasons. In Title I or high poverty schools, many children come to school in