Early Literacy Theories: Which One Best Suits My Child?

Some of us teachers and many parents are well versed in a certain theory or educational model and swear by it. For example, the Montessori approach seems to be popular among Singaporean parents. However, sticking to one single theory, model or framework might not be the best for our children.

A young and curious me once raised my hand in Psychology class and asked the professor which theory, model or framework is the right one, after being taught so many of these in all aspects of Psychology. Their answers were unanimous - there is no one correct model. All models and theories have their merits and weaknesses. It is best to take an eclectic​ approach that draws on the strengths of each theory/ model.

​This article, titled Early Literacy, gives a concise summary of the various early literacy theories in Psychology and Education. It too advocates an eclectic approach:

"The debates over which method of teaching reading may be put to rest by the studies [that] show that no single method is best for all children all the time. Many teachers now incorporate a “balance” of research-based strategies, believing this to be the most effective way to approach literacy development..."

​The content of the article is heavy but we recommend reading it to have a basic understanding of the various theories and models in Education, and Cognitive and Developmental Psychology and what they say about the development of literacy in children.

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