By the time my son was six, he’d worked out who was the best at sport in his class. What happens when children realise they are at the bottom of the reading-writing ladder? Performance anxiety is the bane of human existence.
Is there a cure? Maybe not, but the joy and freedom that comes from simply having a go is a great place to start. There is no right and wrong in art or music or daydreaming, so why not have a spirit of discovery in reading and writing?
If you take a bunch of multi-syllabic words and change just one syllable, there’s sure to be a giggle or two. In the spirit of Crocoroos and Kangadiles (Alan Cornwell Pty Ltd), which has been in circulation since 1994, there is always fun to be had by twisting a name and coming up with a new reality.
Find a way to celebrate reading and writing where there is no right or wrong, and that ever-present performance anxiety might just go on holiday.
