Wonderlit Read – The Dawn of Literacy

As featured in The New Age Parents on 27 August 2021.

In our first article of a four-part series, we introduced Wonderlit, a unique creative concept that offers a boutique enrichment experience for our children. In this and the following articles, we plunge into Wonderlit’s programmes to uncover the secrets of their hands-on learning that will transform our little ones into confident readers and communicators.

Here, we focus on Wonderlit Read.

 

The Foundation of Language

For decades, we have approached language education with a singular method. Look, remember and repeat. Repeat until you need not refer to the very lesson at hand to remember its contents. However, as we advance in technology, research and development, we unveil the reality that rote memorization is merely a stepping stone to high-level thinking.

The use of verbal thought to guide our thinking processes, otherwise known as egocentric speech, is a key reason why a strong linguistic foundation is crucial for children to develop. There is also a consideration that each child develops at their own pace and style.

What’s Unique about Wonderlit Read

Literacy is embedded in our daily life. Being able to read allows our children to learn independently and helps them enrich their imagination as well as their knowledge of the world. After all, our children will be more school-ready when they are able to move from learning-to-read to reading-to-learn, helping to build their self-esteem.

Wonderlit Read is a literacy programme for children aged 2.5 to 10 years old that takes phonics education to a new level, enriching their language learning and ideas formation, and progressively increasing their reading level at a steady yet rapid pace.

 

Children on the Wonderlit Read programme will gain phonological skills, enhance their ability to understand printed text at a higher caliber, and build their interest in reading. By making lesson content fun and interactive, they learn quicker and are better able to retain information. After all, studies have shown that our brains perform better by an average of 68% when stimulated with fun activities! At the advanced level, children will be guided through model comprehension strategies to dissect stories and texts. Not only will this take their literacy skills to a higher level, they will also master comprehension concepts that are essential in cognitive development.

In its quest for a holistic approach to literacy enrichment in today’s world, Wonderlit also integrates interactive screen technology into its lessons, catching the attention of young children quicker and better than static words and images in books would.

Extending Fundamental Phonics Instruction to Reading Comprehension

Wonderlit Read comprises five levels, all designed to instil a love for the written word and to turn reading into a joy. It follows an intentionally progressive path that will help children go from having a firm foundation in literacy to advanced comprehension in the English language. Children will be assessed prior to being assigned a class so that they can be enrolled at a level best suited to their abilities.

While Wonderlit Pre-read levels (2 levels) are structured for progressive learning to build our children’s confidence, the Wonderlit Reader levels (3 levels) introduce critical reading skills and develop strong comprehension abilities through captivating, age-appropriate literature.

• Level 1, Pre-Read Sounds

The first stage in the Wonderlit Read programme kicks off the children’s literacy journey by introducing sounds to them before printed text. This is where the building blocks to a strong literacy foundation are discovered. Children will gain phonemic awareness, reinforcing the fundamentals of literacy.

• Level 2, Pre-Read Words

Here, children will be taken a step up from Pre-Read Sounds and be introduced to printed text, blending of alphabets and strengthening the phonological skills that they have acquired previously.

• Level 3, Early Reader

As they begin to process English more fluidly, storybooks geared towards 5 to 6 years old will be utilized in stage 3 through the use of the interactive screen, helping children to hone their word decoding, forming and comprehension abilities.

• Level 4, Fluent Reader

At this stage, children will be encouraged to develop strong reading habits. Coding and decoding of words and texts for greater understanding is a key feature. Achieving reading fluency with speed, accuracy and proper expression are objectives that children will attain. Additionally, by introducing the ability to self-correct and re-read where necessary, children are equipped to improve even outside the classroom.

• Level 5, Advanced Reader

In reaching the final stage, children will be gently nudged towards mastering the skills of literacy and carry on their journey from reading stories to reading informative pieces of texts, enhancing their comprehension for critical thinking and processing. Lastly, critical thinking processes will be instilled in the child through story summarizing, discussion on author’s choice and diving deeper into similes and metaphors. This hones their comprehension beyond the text and into the meaning of what is written and how information can be delivered.

Furthermore, by using modern day educational e-resources such as Oxford Owl, Wonderlit amplifies the enrichment experience for children, giving them fun and holistic lessons every time. Children will also have access to these e-platforms outside of class, further enhancing learning.

Wonderlit Read for You

Wonderlit Read is the bedrock to developing sturdy English language skills in your child. When you choose Wonderlit, you choose a steady path to tomorrow’s accomplished reader today.

A spark is all it takes to make it happen. The spark begins with you.

Stay tuned for our next article: Wonderlit Speak, where we uncover the details of how the programme will help build a confident and charismatic presenter, with advanced and coherent communication skills that are crucial in all aspects and ages of life.

Read the rest of the four-part series here:

Part 1: Welcome To Wonderlit
Part 3: Wonderlit Speak – Into the Spotlight!
Part 4: Wonderlit Perform – 3, 2, 1, Action!