It’s All Greek to Me
Not many people have studied and are able to speak or understand the Greek language. This is what makes the phrase, “It’s all Greek to me” so appropriate when we don’t understand a topic, especially when referring to a set of terms which apply to a certain field. For example, as an early childhood educator, I easily understand the meaning behind words and acronyms including, NAEYC, Piaget, ADA, IDEA, Maslow, and IEP. However, if you did not study in this field, these words may not be comprehensible because you do not have the prior knowledge associated with each term.
This feeling of confusion and aggravation is exactly how a beginning reader feels when they are trying to read about a topic of which they know nothing about. If you or I picked up a book used by law students to study for their bar exams, we would probably give up quickly due to frustration and a lack of understanding. This is precisely why so many children want to give up when reading is not coming easily.
We, as parents, can help prevent our children experiencing this overwhelming feeling of confusion by providing a wide variety of experiences. This doesn’t mean you have to travel around the world. Instead, do your best to expose your child to as many topics and concepts as possible. This can be done through books and stories, music, pictures and paintings, visits to a zoo or museum, and even educational television programs.
When children (and adults) understand a concept, it is much easier to read about it. Instead of focusing on the meaning individual words in a text, a person is able to concentrate on the overall message being delivered.
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Written by Laura on January 27, 2010
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