Every day your preschool students learn skills that will help them become good readers. As their teacher, you play an important role in supporting these skills and helping them build a solid foundation for literacy. Here are 5 ways you can help support your students as they begin to read:
1. Incorporate Reading into Play
Playtime provides young children with countless opportunities to learn! Try putting menus with the other toys for when children pretend they’re at a restaurant or making road signs for when children play with toy cars.
2. Keep a Class List of Books Read
Start a list of books you’ve read together on the wall for all to see. Your students will not only enjoy seeing what you’ve read together, they’ll be excited to read more books so they can add it to the list!
3. Read Aloud Daily
Research suggests that when preschool children are frequently read to, the areas of the brain supporting comprehension are highly engaged. By setting aside time each day to read together, your students get into the habit of reading regularly.
4. Combine Show-and-Tell and Reading
Encourage your students to bring their favorite books from home to share with the class. Putting student books on display puts them in a special light in the classroom and students will be excited to share their favorite stories with their friends!
5. Use Labels Around the Classroom
Create labels to put on objects around the classroom. This will not only help children become familiar with different words, this will also help them associate objects with their names.