Auto-sensitisation to reading and writing
The aim of this colouring book is not to teach a young child to read and write,
but simply to familiarise him or her with image-word associations, so that this
activity has become natural and easy when it is deemed time to begin actual
tutoring of reading and writing.
The required material is to be made available to the child: colour pencils
(no felt tips), scissors for kids, glue stick, and an lead pencil (so that the child
can "make believe" write "like a big kid").
If the child shows interest, explain the various activities that can be
performed on each page besides colouring (maybe, as an example, cutting out
yourself the first word-label and gluing it where there is a "like" word; and
tracing one by one the letters of the word, clearly showing the child that you
are simply copying the word of the label.
Explain to the child that the word that can be read on the label and the word
that can be written is the same word that we say with the mouth to name the
object of the drawing, and of course, always answer the child's questions.
NEVER have the child cut out, glue or write the words if it does not decide
on its own to do so. Leave the child entirely free to simply colour the drawings
if he so wishes. He will nevertheless associate the written word to the image,
and it is quite probable that he will eventually come back on his own to perform
the other activities.
The child must NEVER feel that he is not playing.
