Reading and Writing Preparatory Seminar Was Held at Near East University…
Date Added: 20 June 2019, 08:38
Last Updated Date:18 November 2020, 15:29

The Lifelong Education Center (YABEM) and Atatürk Faculty of Education of Near East University have organized a short-term training and certificate program themed "Preparatory Seminar on Reading and Writing".

The Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office of Near East University released that the Preparatory Seminar on Reading and Writing was given by Associate Professor Ayten Düzkantar at the Orange Hall at the Faculty of Communication. The Seminar provided opportunity not only to discuss the problems encountered by students with special needs and children with learning difficulties but also to address the importance of learning academic skills in early childhood. The ways to be used to improve the literacy skills of the children with special needs and children with learning difficulties constituted the core of the seminar.

The seminar attracted great interest of the parents, preschool teachers and prospective teachers.

Developing Academic Skills Should Begin in Early Childhood...
Underlining that childhood was the process of laying the basis, Associate Professor Düzkantar stated that the idea considering academic skills would be learnt and gained during school years was wrong and contrary to popular belief, the early childhood was the appropriate process to lay the basis required for developing and gaining academic skills. Expressing that school period was the process in which children began with learning reading and writing and gaining other skills required for personal and academic development, Associate Professor Düzkantar underlined the importance of acquisitions that facilitated the gaining of academic skills in early childhood and drew attention to the measures to be taken in case of the delay of these acquisitions. Underlining the crucial role of determining prerequisite skills for learning to read and write analytically, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Düzkantar drew attention to the necessity of teaching these prerequiste skills to the children in a fun way. Asserting that children learnt while playing by having fun, Associate Professor Düzkantar stated that reading and writing skills were not only about drawing lines and vocalizing letters. Düzkantar also made suggestions for the solution of the problems experienced by children in learning to read and write.

Reading and Writing Problems Encountered by Children During Preschool Period Addressed, Solutions Were Discussed...
Associate Professor Çiğdem Hürsen, the Director of Lifelong Education Center, stated that the seminar provided platform to address the reading and writing problems in preschool children and make suggestions for the solution of the current problems. Asserting that the seminar, which had a guide role for parents, also contributed to the professional development of teachers and prospective teachers, Associate Professor Hürsen highlighted that they found opportunity to address the importance of paving the way for children in early childhood to develop skills required for gaining academic skills during preschool. He stated that the seminar also provided the participants with opportunity to share their experiences with each other.