Language

First words, rhymes, reading and writing in three languages.

By age: 0–2 · 3–5 · 6–8 · 9–12 · 13–17

Ages 0 to 2

A grown-up reads and plays along

• Talking all day long about 5 minutes
• First words in three languages about 5 minutes
• Rhymes and finger plays about 5 minutes
• Sharing a picture book about 10 minutes
• Naming body parts about 5 minutes
• Colours everywhere about 10 minutes

Ages 3 to 5

Read and do together

• Sounds at the start of words about 10 minutes
• Writing my name about 10 minutes
• Rhymes and silly words about 10 minutes
• Telling a story with pictures about 15 minutes
• Letters I know about 10 minutes
• Listening to a longer story about 15 minutes
• Words in two languages about 10 minutes
• A thank-you card about 15 minutes
• Telling a Bible story with puppets about 15 minutes
• Ending sounds about 10 minutes
• Making a mini-book about 20 minutes
• Writing a list about 10 minutes

Ages 6 to 8

Read together, then try alone

• Clapping syllables about 15 minutes
• Writing a sentence about 15 minutes
• Describing words about 15 minutes
• Reading aloud with expression about 15 minutes
• Compound words about 15 minutes
• Writing a letter about 20 minutes
• Poems that rhyme about 20 minutes
• A story with a beginning, middle and end about 25 minutes

Ages 9 to 12

Read alone or together

• One idea in each paragraph about 25 minutes
• Writing to persuade about 30 minutes
• Reading between the lines about 25 minutes
• Translating: what changes and what stays about 30 minutes
• Using quotations about 25 minutes
• Writing a summary about 25 minutes
• Simile and metaphor about 25 minutes
• Writing a news report about 30 minutes

Ages 13 to 17

Read alone

• Argument: claim, evidence and counterargument about 45 minutes
• Reading a primary source about 45 minutes
• The personal essay: voice and structure about 50 minutes
• Learning a language well about 45 minutes
• Rhetoric: ethos, pathos and logos about 35 minutes
• Reading poetry closely about 35 minutes
• A research paper with citations about 45 minutes
• Reading Scripture well: genre and context about 40 minutes