Language and Literacy for Young Learners

Is it ever too early to think about literacy for young learners? April McBride (ABC International School), Angela Aramaki (Willowbrook International School), and Merete Kropp (Komzawa Park International School) join TAIP President John Adduru (Ohana International School) to discuss their strategies and thoughts on early literacy.

Show Notes

April McBride (ABC International School), Angela Aramaki (Willowbrook International School), and Merete Kropp (Komzawa Park International School) join TAIP President John Adduru (Ohana International School) to discuss their strategies and thoughts on early literacy.

They talk about parent involvement, building a literacy-promoting environment, tools, techniques, and rewards of preparing young learners to read. 

What is TAIP Conversations?

A series of discussions of issues surrounding the international early childhood education community in Japan.

John Adduru: Good day, everyone.

So welcome to TAIP Conversations today.

We are so fortunate to be with
the experts in early childhood

education, and I'm truly honored.

To introduce our guest speakers for
today's topic, which is language

and literacy for young learners.

So before we start our conversation,
I feel really excited about this.

And may I ask the guest speakers
to introduce themselves?

So let's start with Merete.

Merete Kropp: Sure.

My name is Merete Kropp and I am
the principal at KPIS Komazawa

Park International School.

And I've been teaching in the early
childhood fields for 30 years now.

And I have a master's degree in reading
and language education, and also one

in human development and psychology.

John Adduru: Thank you.

And also Merete is one of
the TAIP board of directors.

She's our secretary.

Yes, April.

April McBride: Hello, I'm April McBride.

I'm the director of ABC
International School in Moto-Azabu.

I've been in education for about 25
years as a preschool director and head

teacher for about the past 10 years.

I often specialize as a teacher
in early reading and writing.

And in my spare time, I am a Jolly
Phonics trainer as well, which is another

passion of mine is teaching the basics of
reading and writing through phonics too.

So thank you for having me today.

John Adduru: Thank you, April and Angela.

Angela Aramaki: Hi, I'm Angela Aramaki
and I'm the education director at

Willowbrook International School
and I work with teachers, parents

and students that from the youngest
class to the oldest, I've been in

preschool since 2001, but I originally
started as a middle school teacher.

So I made quite a jump.

I love teaching young children and
my whole career has been in Japan.

So I guess that makes me kind of
an expert, but I'm always learning,

I love to learn new things and we
also do Jolly Phonics here too.

So I'm very excited to
hear more from April.

Thank you.

John Adduru: Thank you, Angela.

And I think that that's the beauty
of becoming an expert, you know,

because you keep on learning, you
know, that you're not the gold

standard, you know, you, you just keep
on updating yourself and all that.

So thank you.

All right.

Let's jump in.

So the first question that I would
like to ask is like, how much do you

think do parents need to get involved
in, in terms of, of developing this

area of milestone for the children?

Let's start with April.

April McBride: Yeah, I think parent
involvement is really important.

And can really help with the success
of a child's early literacy journey.

Even from, as soon as children have
born, they are looking at your face.

They are wanting to communicate
with you and they get so much

from your facial expressions.

They see how words are formed and
they start to copy it, you know,

even from a really young age.

So from there into reading stories with
young children just developing that

love of language and literature from
an early age, I think is really key.

John Adduru: Thank you for that.

How about Angela?

Angela Aramaki: I agree
wholeheartedly with April.

Literacy starts from birth when they're
first come out and you're talking to

them and that babyese or motherese
singing plays a big part of it too.

I find, especially with
second language learners.

I think song really helps the early board
books that we all have in our classrooms,

our favorite stories, just repeating
it over and over and over and

yeah, developing a love of reading.

Thats what is the most important
thing you can do and showing

your child that you read too.

I think it's very important.

John Adduru: To model, you know,
that you're reading to the children.

That's very important.

Thank you for that, Angela.

And Merete.

Merete Kropp: Yeah, those
are both excellent ideas and

answers to that question.

In addition to those things.

Even from the very start, I think
having experiences and talking about

those experiences you know, research
shows that the vocabulary level

of children is directly correlated
to their reading success later.

And so the more that parents can talk to
their children and have experiences with

them and introduce a variety of, sensory
experiences, real lived experiences in

addition to the songs and the stories
and the books and everything that will

help their comprehension skills later on.

So yeah, the talking, the reading,
the modeling, singing, and then

having those experiences too.

John Adduru: Right.

So it's also the naturalistic environment
that you provide for the children.

Right.

So it's very important to have
that as part of their growth.

Okay.

So in terms of that, as a leeway,
where you're going to go transition

to the integrated that incidental
learning of language and literacy.

So the specific examples would be like,
how do you teach language and literacy

during free play time, mealtimes,
random conversations at the park.

And of course, as you've mentioned music,
so would you like to start off Merete?

Merete Kropp: Sure.

I think that early childhood teachers
and "edu-carers", I guess, cause you

know, if you start from a really young
age, they should be continuing what the

parents are doing at home and having
those rich conversations all through the

day, whether it be when they're walking
to the playground or having a snack

together, just having those conversations,
asking questions, responding to what

the children are actually saying to

them, And also having a print rich
environment is really important in schools

to have books accessible and available.

You know, one thing that we do at our
school is we actually take a basket

of books with us to the bathroom.

So toilet time becomes a
time of a lot of waiting.

When you have 10 kids who have to use
the same toilets and sinks, so when

they're finished, they just line in the
hallway, they sit down in the hallway,

they each grab a book and they're
reading while they're waiting for...

and that's from our youngest children
in diapers to the older ones too.

And so we have books
everywhere in our school.

So that's just a few things that we do
here and I think are really important.

John Adduru: Yeah.

In relation to that, I think like it's
also transdisciplinary because we also

have a poster inside the toilet and
the children were so engaged with the

poster rather than doing toilet training.

So we have to kind of like
really tell them, oh, okay.

So it's time for pee-pee now.

So, but there are so engrossed with,
with the, the, the visual stimulation

that they have in the, in the toilet.

But then again, as I've
said, it's transdisciplinary.

Right?

So you can actually
integrate everything into it.

Yes.

And Angela,

Angela Aramaki: I agree.

We have a, small libraries
in all our classrooms here.

So their books are always available too.

And we also have a library in the
school that the children get to go

to and they can check out books.

And it's also open to
parents in non COVID times.

Parents can come in and it's more it,
we set it up as like a little community

room, so parents can wait there if
their children have after school.

And this was all pre COVID.

So hopefully it can start up again.

Cause it was, it was very nice and they
can check out books for their children.

We have Japanese books and English
books and a few we're trying to build

our other languages books too, so.

John Adduru: That's great.

Thank you, Angela and April.

April McBride: Yeah.

All of these are brilliant ideas.

Having print rich environments,
having just books available at

all times throughout the day.

Something sort of a little different
to that from the kind of phonics

approach is developing children's
phonemic awareness through listening.

So just because you mentioned random
conversations at the park and of

course conversations are really
language rich and that's fantastic.

But um, another thing that can be done
is when you're walking to somewhere like

the park is go for a listening walk.

So one skill we want to tune in
is children's listening skills.

If they can hear sounds
and separate sounds.

It's actually a step to them eventually
learning to write to not just to read,

it's just kind of pulling apart sounds.

So going for listening walks to,
you know, anything from the birds

singing in the trees, the airplanes
going by, what can we hear?

And that kind of can also be
born into circle times and things

during like mystery instruments.

So you hide some instruments, you
say, you know, what, what, what is

it that you hear or mystery sounds,
animal sounds, things like that.

All of these, type of activities can
really tune children's ears into hearing

different sounds and that can really
help them on their literacy progress.

So it is just a little different
approach, but something that I

think can get neglected a little
more, we often do the reading side.

We do the kind of seeing the sound
and saying the sound and blending

sounds and things like that.

But listening to sounds
is really important too.

So just another aspect.

John Adduru: Thank you.

That's fantastic.

And I think it's very important for us,
not just to kind of like express verbally,

but also to listen to intently, you know?

So I think that one of the things
of important community, because I

think like language and literacy
is part of communication process.

Right?

So listening is so important
because sometimes we just

listen without understanding it.

Right.

So that's the main thing.

For us to clear this up.

All right.

So with the misconception in early
literacy, so one thing that I was

also thinking about is when is too
early and when it's too late or is

there not late or not early at all?

So what do you think about this, April?

April McBride: I think it really
depends on the individual child.

The approach we take at ABC
is that children come to

us as unique human beings.

There's not a one size fits all.

Um, I have taught children at
three years old and they are ready

to start reading and writing.

They want to, they have a desire
to, and that's fantastic and

they should be encouraged.

I've had four year olds who are
really resistant to it and they

need a really different approach and
different kinds of encouragement.

I am kind of anti forcing children
before they are physically ready

to do anything like writing.

I think sharing stories with them until
they have that interest of like, Hmm,

what is it that you're looking at?

What are those squiggles,
you know, when they have that

interest and desire to learn?

I think that's the prime time and I don't
think there's really a set age for that

as you know, some European countries
wait until they're seven years old before

they start any kind of formal literacy.

However, those children will
be having deep conversations.

They'll be having stories,
there'll be having discussions

so that building those skills.

And I think those skills can be
built quite naturally through those

processes without strict instruction.

So I think yet it does need to be adapted
to the children, but I think if you

provide these opportunities that are
fun and engaging whether it's through

a program or just through story time,
That I think there's no too early for

that, you know, there's no too early
to have, to have fun and listen to a

story and to do games and activities
that support language and literacy.

John Adduru: Thank you, April and Angela.

Angela Aramaki: I would agree with
April on that and just providing,

providing materials for mark making,
whether it's in the dramatic play area.

You know, we have kids that love to make
lists or look like the writing letters.

Our children are studying,
about the community right now.

So they're all making postboxes
and posting letters to each other.

I believe that's all, part of it,
and that made them very excited and

wanting to learn to more interested
in reading and writing, even though

it's very, very basic, some are
only three and they're just making

scribbles, but they're reading it to us.

And it's really important to
have those experiences, I think.

John Adduru: Thank you, Angela.

And Merete.

Merete Kropp: Yeah, those were really
great points that you both raised.

I think.

It's so important that like
you said, Angela, to call it

mark-making at the beginning.

And to really recognize the developmental
stages that children go through both

physically and mentally and emotionally
as long as, you know, the materials are

there and the rich conversations are
there and the opportunities are there.

I think it's really important
to keep things open-ended.

It's great to have, you
know, writing materials and.

Um, list making things in like the
dramatic play area so that they can

make their shopping lists or write
letters to each other, or, you know,

they can write on the whiteboard or
the poster, a lot of different kinds

of writing materials available to them.

I think the danger comes when
we try to force children to do a

very directed activity too early.

And I do think there are cases
where, what's labeled as language

and literacy can be, be too early
for a child, who's really not ready.

So the key is to make things open-ended
to give them invitations, to participate

in those kinds of activities, but not
to force it when they're not ready.

John Adduru: Thank you.

Merete.

And I also remember one constant,
they say about Reggio Emilia is to

learn providing learning provocations.

And I think like, this is very
important for us to set up into

classrooms so that children will be
more engaged, you know, and, and they

would just say, oh, what is this?

And to build up that curiosity as well.

Right?

So in response to kind of like, or in
relation to that, So I know in your,

in your school you would detect, or you
would, would, you would see our observe

children with, I would say extra needs.

Right.

So I think like it's also important
to discuss this, whether, how can we

give the listeners some tips kind
of like Well, how do you call it the

like strategies to, know what are the
key indicators or red flags that you

would find from children who would, who
would kind of like get that extra need?

Because I know like in related
research I've already researchers

have already, what do you call it?

This, some shown that, verbal language
is one indicator also of, of like less

verbal language, just one indicator
of children with autism and ADHD.

So that's one thing and it can be
like other, any other thing, but in

your, in your school, like in your
experience, like what tips can you

give the listeners in, in detecting
like red flags that you think these

children would need help in the future?

Um, Would you like to answer Angela first?

Angela Aramaki: I think
definitely language like speaking.

Yeah.

That's usually the first indicator.

If they're not talking very much,
especially when they get up in

the two, three-year-old class
where those children are naturally

learning language very quickly.

So we would have a conversation
with parents and just to see

what they're doing at home.

Maybe they're more verbal at home
than they are at school, but just,

just to kind of see, and we would
probably ask maybe for some outside

help just to have a look at the
child, like speech therapist or that's

usually like one of the first steps.

Speech therapists can tell us so much.

And can help parents, maybe, they need an
occupational therapist or something else.

So that's usually where we start.

John Adduru: Right.

Thank you.

And also like the speech therapist would
always ask you about like, can you test

their hearing first, always the hearing,
the listening part of it, you know, and

that kind of like revolves around the
whole developmental stage of the child.

So yeah.

Thank you for that.

Um, Merete

Merete Kropp: Yeah, I think.

Definitely that the speech and
maybe also the attention span

according to their age and whether
they're able to focus and listen.

The listening skills, like April said
are really important to being able to,

to you know, to differentiate between
the sounds and I would take a really

close look at their home language because
the vocabulary and the home language

predicts the amount that they'll be
able to learn in the second language.

And so, especially for those of us who are
working with bilingual kids, I think that

that's important too, to assess as well.

And then even when we would connect the
reading and the writing, I think that.

fine motor, is also really important
that can they, are they learning to

to control their muscles in their, in
their hands and also their whole bodies?

Like, do they have some kind of core
issues that make it hard for them to sit,

sit still and pay attention, whatever, you
know, the occupational therapy as well.

Those, those are the kinds of
things we'd be looking for.

John Adduru: Thank you Merete, April.

April McBride: Yeah, I would definitely
have a look at their social interactions.

And if there were certain frustrations,
if they were communicating in

some way with other students,
that can be an early indicator.

I feel that, If, they have difficulty
entering into a communication situation.

They don't know how to, even if
they're not at the level where they can

verbally ask, you know, can I have that?

You know, I can, they put up their hand,
do they recognize that that other child

, you know, has emotions and feelings and
might not want to hand over something.

And I would take a close
look at how they're playing.

Are they only playing alongside two
other children, even though they're kind

of reaching like three, four years old
or are they just playing by themselves?

Do they get very frustrated?

Because for some children, I think
especially with second language

learners, they can go through a period of
frustration where in the home language,

they are completely verbal they can
describe their feelings, they can they

can talk, you know, really fluently.

And then they're in this second language.

So their brain is functioning at that high
level, but they don't have the words yet.

And that can be really frustrating.

So it can be difficult to
differentiate between a slight delay

in English language because they're
learning it as a second language.

And whether there are other issues
that need to be looked into.

So like Angela said, we would
always defer to a speech

therapist if we had any concerns.

And we'd look at things like, you
know, how many words they're using.

Are they communicating with teachers?

Are they communicating with friends?

And it can be quite different
at school to at home.

So it is important to
get the whole picture.

And that's where I think, you know, if
we have some concerns, it's good to bring

in specialists because we're educators
at school, we're not here to diagnose.

So yeah, we would refer it to experts.

Yeah.

John Adduru: Yeah.

We can only give a referral,
you know, that's all though.

We can say and observe like also
like since the pandemic, right,

we have been wearing masks.

It affected, you know, or
if it's affecting now, like

the language development of
children as well um, Angela?

Angela Aramaki: Uh, yes, I think it is.

We especially see it
in the younger classes.

I mean, we're still wearing, we wear
masks from two years old to the oldest

class so I think it's hard for them to
read our facial expressions because that

plays a lot with the language development
and seeing to be able to see our mouth

and how we're articulating sounds.

That's definitely been a
problem with the pandemic.

Our voice level too.

It's really hard to hear what the
children are saying and for them to

hear us, I know I have to get down
really close to the children when

we're supposed to be staying far away.

So, it's...

Communication has been
very, very difficult.

In all age levels, I think.

John Adduru: Yeah.

So one approach that what I do in
classes, I move away from the child

and I take off a mask and then I kind
of like really showed them how I say.

You know, like good afternoon.

So, so that they would just kind of
like find that, you know, see that mouth

movement, because I think it is really
kind of like helping them to see how your

mouth moves to when they talk, you know?

Yes.

So thank you for those wonderful
explanations and tips, you know, for,

for that um, There's one thing that I
read also as part of a research study in

Sweden, and it says here, like besides
storybooks and non-fiction books, children

need to be exposed to, for example,
letters like regular letters that we send

to people, newspapers, magazines, recipes,
and instructional texts of varying kinds.

So why do you think this is important?

You know, like for the children
to have like a different

variations or variations of texts.

Would you like to take on that?

Um, Merete?

Merete Kropp: Sure.

So it's actually, that was a
really interesting study actually.

And I think reading is
one of those skills.

That's not actually innate,

so in terms of, you know, there are
some skills that we develop naturally,

no matter what we learn, how to walk.

Well, we learn how to talk.

We learn a lot of skills just by
developing as a human, but reading

is an actual learned skill that
doesn't just naturally develop.

And in order for us to learn a skill,
we need to have internal motivation.

Yes, and we can't force that upon anyone.

So I think that doing all of those
other things and showing purposes

for reading and writing that, that
it has meaning besides just reading a

story is really important in building
that intrinsic motivation in children

and they, the more they see reading
and writing, being used, the more

they're going to want to learn it.

And that's one of the areas that I'm a
little bit concerned about our digital

use of reading, because they're not
seeing it modeled the same way that

we were when we were growing up.

You know, they're not, you know,
we probably remember seeing our

parents reading magazines and
newspapers and sending actual

physical letters to each other.

We have to, as educators, create
those kinds of of experiences for

the kids to see reading as happening
outside of just books and whatever

digital device that they see.

So that to me is something that we
really need to work on and be really

intentional about to make sure that
kids are getting those experiences.

John Adduru: Thank you.

Merete that's wonderful.

And Angela.

Angela Aramaki: Hmm.

I agree.

We need to give them those experiences
and just to show them text in different

forms how we use how we use different
kinds of texts to gain information.

I know with my own daughter,
when she was very young, we

traveled on the train every day.

So just pointing out everything, all
the signs on the train, a ticket.

The information on there, like which
train car to get on what the, what

the number is that we need to find.

So how useful it is and how
it connects all together.

John Adduru: Yes.

Wonderful.

Yes.

And April.

April McBride: Yeah.

I mean, both of those are
absolutely pertinent points.

Uhm, I think children do need a
reason to learn, to read and write.

Like Merete said, it's it's something
, some children, do naturally just want

to do it because they, they they've
discovered stories, you know, and

they want to read stories and that's
fantastic, but there are children

who just prefer kind of non-fiction
stories and then like information.

We have children who are obsessed
with the Tokyo train lines, and that's

a fantastic literacy experience.

You know, they're learning
to sound out the trains.

They're learning like the, the
different formations they are doing

patterning skills, all kinds of things.

So I think, yeah, having that intrinsic
reason to see that it's useful.

I think we all, we all look back to when
we learned mathematics and algebra and

wonder, why did we put all that brain
power into it when we can't of use it?

And that's the thing.

If you can use it, if it's helpful,
if it gets you information, if it

helps you communicate, that's all
inspiration to continue learning.

And to continue that, that learning
journey and reading journey.

John Adduru: Thank you April.

So one more thing.

So the importance of read aloud,
does it help children to get

interested and engage, you know, and
to develop their language ability?

What do you think April?

April McBride: Absolutely.

If we think about the general
day in kindergarten or in your

home or in your preschool.

A lot of the the language that children
are hearing is very repetitive.

You know, come over here, let's
sit down, let's have snack.

We might sing our snack song.

You know, let's go to the bathroom
please, you know, stop doing that.

They hear a lot of repetitive language.

When we sit down with a read aloud,
they're getting a flow of imaginative

language, descriptive language.

Um, That they're just not going to
hear in the day to day unless you

have some really creative teachers.

But it just, it opens up
a whole different world.

Obviously there's images that
go along with the pictures to

help stimulate that as well.

But um, I think read aloud is
so valuable for that reason.

And also that kind of community
feeling is sitting down in

your group, sharing a story.

And what we do, something we do with
our oldest students is get them to

kind of change the ending of stories or
to put their own twist on a story and

things like that and make it their own.

And that really develops their
imaginative skills their creative

abilities and hopefully eventually
their creative writing as well.

So I think there's, there's so many
levels feeling included, feeling

in a group having that cozy time
with the teacher or building that

positive reinforcement around reading.

John Adduru: Thank you, Angela.

And we just had a world book
day celebration the other day.

It was fantastic.

The children were bringing their
books like they're in a rally.

Hey, this is my book.

You know, so it's, it's really nice to
see that the children can physically

like, and, emotionally say that, oh,
I have a book that I want to show you,

you know, and I wanted to read it to
you, or I want to tell that about,

about it, you know, to, to everyone.

So thank you April and Angela.

Angela Aramaki: I agree.

It's my favorite of day is when we
have story time with the children.

I love reading aloud to children and
putting on silly voices and maybe

introducing them to books that they might
not have ever seen before books from other

countries or even books from like your
home country that you can bring into it.

And community.

Yeah, community building definitely
brings us all together and, you just,

you sit down with one child reading
a story and suddenly you've got four

or five sitting around you and then
it's like this one and then this one.

And I just, I really love it.

I think it's important.

I think all ages, not just preschool
can really benefit from read alouds.

John Adduru: Thank you, Angela.

And Merete.

Merete Kropp: Yeah,
uh, I absolutely agree.

I think, you know, reading aloud is
such a pleasant experience and it

can be such a like, like April was
saying it's such a cozy time too.

And if we can build a sense of
connection between really warm,

fuzzy, good memories and reading
a book, we've really done our job.

So I think that's one really great thing.

And then the whole community thing,
a building aspect of it too, you

know, we have certain books that
are, are shared around the school

that everyone loves and we can make
connections with those books, you know,

like, oh look, you're upside down.

And you're just like silly Sally and
everyone would like, nod in smile.

We were like, oh yeah, we know that book.

And it helps kids make connections with
other people, other teachers in the

building with other kids in other classes,
like we all know and love that story.

And then the whole rare word
study that they've done.

I think people don't really
realize, the richness of language

that is found in picture books.

They did actual analysis of everything
from you know, a conversation between

two college educated adults or reading
a newspaper or an academic article

or various various things where they
analyze the number of rare words

or , you know, like interesting
words, I guess you could say.

And they found that picture books
were well above the conversation

between two college educated adults.

And it was also much higher than a
TV program that's directed at adults.

So when we're reading books to kids, we're
exposing them to really rich vocabulary

that helps expand their word knowledge,
which then leads to better comprehension

and better skill s, it's all, it just
all kind of rolls along together.

John Adduru: Right.

That's wonderful.

Yeah.

And also like the choice of books
that you will have for the children.

Right.

It's really important to kind
of like get the right material

for them to get interested.

Okay.

I guess that's it.

We've covered almost everything.

And I think like, because I'm
talking about technology, right?

So as what Merete mentioned earlier, like,
is it really important to to, to have

technology, to, to kind of like develop
language and literacy or let's just kinda

like put that aside and then when they
grow up, we can actually use it because

we're talking about young learners here,
you know, And they need to kind of like

that sense of having a physical book
and and, and to, to kind of like, listen

to you intently and also looking at the
pictures with purpose, with a purpose,

rather than just kind of like, you
know, swiping, swiping, swiping, right.

So.

Now here's the thing.

Final message to the parents and to the
teachers that you would like to give in

order for them to kind of like develop
this kind of like language and literacy

development for, for the children.

So what would that be?

So can we start off with April

April McBride: I think, take that time
whether it's in the evening or in the

morning before school to have that special
story time with your child at home.

I think it's really essential.

Um, Even if it's a five minute book,
if that's all you can spare, it's worth

that little bit of effort to do that.

Um, I think our teachers in all of
our schools do an amazing job already.

They, they truly understand the
value of reading with children and

enhancing their literacy skills.

So I think for, for our teachers, it's
just keep doing what you're doing.

It's it's really worth it.

And there's nothing that beats the
in-person story so, no matter what

technology brings us, I think that
communication, we spoke about the

sense of community that warmth that
coziness with another human sharing,

a story with you cannot be replaced.

John Adduru: Yes, definitely, Thank you.

Angela

Angela Aramaki: Same, read
to your children, read, read,

read, and visit your library.

Libraries are really fantastic places.

And I think some great things are
happening because they're turning into

more of a community center now, and
there's a lot going on at libraries.

So visit your library.

Merete Kropp: Yeah, all of those
things read to your kids, talk to

your kids, listen to your kids, play
silly, funny word games with them.

You know, take advantage
of the cracks in your day.

The times that you have to wait at,
a doctor's office, or if you're

on your bicycle riding somewhere or
in your car, take, take that time

to play those silly song games.

And, you know, you might feel like, my
kids are older now, so, I can say with

confidence that it goes really fast and
it feels like it's a really long time.

And you're so tired of those kids'
songs, but just, just hang in there and

because doing those silly things with
your kids actually pays off big time.

And before you know it,
they're going to be grown.

That's speaking to parents
and for teachers, like April

says that teachers, I think.

They know what to do.

They're doing great things, keep doing
what you're doing and keep instilling

that love of, of books and reading
with the kids You should model it.

Talk to them, listen to.

John Adduru: Absolutely.

I love it.

I love it.

I love having TAIP conversations.

It's so beautiful to kind of like get
your, your, your knowledge and expertise.

And I would just want to pick
everybody's brains, you know, so

it's a really, really an honor.

And I think like it's a pleasure to have
you Merete, April, and Angela today.

So there you have.

So I hope that this podcast will help
you understand more about the importance

of promoting language, immersion and
literacy introduction to your children

and being part of TAIP, I strongly believe
that one of our goals for the member

schools and individuals is to further
help everyone in their professional

knowledge and growth of expertise.

So again, thank you so much and see.

Again on our next episode.

Thank you.

Thank you.