From conception there is a conversation between mother and child. Sounds filter into the cradled world of the little being inside the womb. Words are heard and voices are categorized. The child’s brain is developing and recording. The mother is the first and most important teacher for a child whether the child is within the womb or without. She holds, nurtures, and guides, helping the child acclimate to the world. Learning how to dress, learning how to eat, learning the home language – all require the attention, patience, and help of the mother. Every detail is absorbed with the voracious appetite of a young growing brain. Understanding the rapid growth of the brain at this stage is of great importance, as the cells that are not used are “pruned.” Therefore, a sensorially stimulating, language rich, experiential environment is the best environment for this new little being.

As the teacher of the child, mothers are the power that can change the world. Imagine children going to school already able to read and write. School is for learning, but it is not necessary to be in school to learn the fundamentals of reading and writing. In fact, the child is with the mother during the most ideal time to teach those skills, and it requires no special training, just a miniscule paradigm shift. From one to three years of age is the optimal time to learn the tools of print. No pressure, so simple and natural. Mothers are the logical teachers of the child. How can we remove the stigma of school being the place to learn basic literacy skills? School is for learning about the world, building a body of information and understanding through reading. But reading and writing begin at home! Mothers, accept the power of one – each and every one of you can teach your child to read and write.

Building literacy tools is natural and fun! Here is one opportunity.

“Look at the great /o/ (ahh) you made. I can show you an /o/ in a book when you finish drawing.”

Just make sure you give the letter-sound association ONLY!  Short vowel sounds and hard consonant sounds until the child begins decoding. Letter-names come after the child begins sounding out words.

Visit www.souns.org to read more. Google and enjoy the work of Dr. Patricia Kuhl to be amazed at the unfolding of the young brain

Such a great experience showing teachers how to implement Souns in the Head Start program in San Juan Municipality. The children of Puerto Rico will read. Beautiful people, eager children, the tremendous support of Rotary Districts 7000, 6990, and The Rotary Foundation are making this work happen. What magic. How critical a journey. Literacy is the key to peace in the world. A child who cannot read will be a victim for life. Children from economically challenged environments have the same inherent abilities as children from economically advantaged environments. We can make a difference for all children with Souns, leveling the playing field, and building a better world for all. We thank you, Rotary!

San Juan Municipality Head Start centers are the recipients of a Rotary grant providing Souns materials to 127 classrooms. The training began Thursday, May 3, with training for 11 classrooms in two centers. We will train again in June and continue reaching the classrooms in August. What promising tomorrows for these children. The Souns training experience was as always with young children – smiling faces, little hands exploring symbols, enthusiasm that confirms a young child’s inimitable drive to learn. Give the tools of print  – letter-sound associations – to a child and he/she will build literacy – naturally! Within the hour these 5 year olds in the photo were writing with the symbols by listening (analyzing) the sounds they were saying. Pretty amazing program! Pretty fantastic kids! Futures in the making. Thank you Rotary Districts 7000, 6990, 6900, and The Rotary Foundation.

This grant addresses a plea from a child advocate in Puerto Rico to help 4000 disadvantaged children between 3 to 5 years of age build fundamental literacy skills in San Juan.

“Rescue our children! Our children are not learning to read and our system realistically is not poised to deliver change. We must take a stand and develop a nation of emergent readers before they enter the established education system. Science and evidence tell us that we can do this naturally if we provide young children with literacy tools as their brains are developing years 0-3. Souns is an evidence based program which does just that. It is a simple program that delivers children who are ready to read, if not reading, by the time they enter kindergarten. It is inexpensive, easily implemented, community oriented, and sustainable.”

Head Start is a preschool program for children from economically challenged families. The majority of the children enter Head Start with less developed literacy skills than those of most children the same age. The toll is high. According to a May 2011 issue of Caribbean Business, among the island’s population living under the poverty level, 62% did not complete high school. History confirms high school graduation and literacy skills go hand in hand.