Doing an enjoyable activity with a child can develop better skills and more creativity than reading. To what extent do you agree? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your answer

Parents throughout the world spend time reading with their offspring to prepare them for school where their literacy skills are

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developed;

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, recent research suggests that focusing on reading at an early age can be detrimental, and participating in fun activities would be far more beneficial. I am a strong advocate of

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approach, and the benefits of it will be covered in

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essay. A fundamental reason for

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is that there is no biological age for reading, and pushing infants to acquire

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skill before they are ready could have repercussions.

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, in the UK, many boys are reluctant readers, possibly because of being forced to read, and

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turned them off reading. By focusing on other activities and developing other skills

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as creativity and imagination, when they are ready to read, they usually acquire

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skill rapidly.

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, the importance of encouraging creativity and developing a child’s imagination must be acknowledged. Through play, youngsters develop social and cognitive skills,

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, they are more likely to learn vocabulary through context rather than learning it from a book.

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, play allows youngsters to mature emotionally, and gain self-confidence. There is no scientific research which suggests reading at a young age is essential for a child’s development,

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, evidence suggests the reverse is true. In Finland, early years’ education focuses on playing. Reading is only encouraged if a child shows an interest in developing

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skill.

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self-directed approach certainly does not result in Finnish school leavers falling behind their foreign counterparts. In fact, Finland was ranked the sixth best in the world in terms of reading. Despite being a supporter of

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non-reading approach, I am not vehemently opposed to it and I strongly recommend incorporating bedtime stories into a child’s daily routine.

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, reading as a regular

day time

the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside

daytime

activity should be swapped for something which allows a child to develop other skills.