What is the primary goal of the Language Experience Approach?

The primary goal of the Language Experience Approach (LEA) is to enable children to dictate their own stories and read until mastery. This method emphasizes the connection between children's spoken language and the written word, allowing them to create personal narratives or experiences that are then transcribed by an educator. This process promotes literacy by tying it directly to the child's lived experiences, thus making reading and writing more meaningful and engaging for them. Additionally, because the stories reflect their own thoughts and experiences, children are more likely to feel a sense of ownership over the text, which can encourage greater motivation and investment in their learning. The focus is on building their language skills through familiar contexts, ultimately leading to mastery in reading and writing.