Getting Ready for Kindergarten

Kindergarten is not the same as it was even just 15 years ago. After teaching Kindergarten for 22 years I have seen a big change. I often feel like I teach a half-year of Kindergarten and a half-year of the “old first grade”. I used to be happy if my students left Kindergarten knowing their letters and sounds. Now by the end of Kindergarten most students are reading.

My most successful Kindergarten students come into Kindergarten knowing many of their letters and a few sounds. I am so excited when I test kids before school and this is the case. They understand what letters are and they want to learn to read.

Remember not to push your children before school. Introduce what they are interested in. As you read it becomes natural for children to learn the concepts of print. I will discuss a few concepts.

First: Occasionally point to the words on the page. Show your children how you read from left to right with a return sweep. Many children don’t realize you are reading, they think you are making up the story. Don’t do this on every page just introduce it to them.

Second: As you read ask questions and make predictions. Good readers are engaged in the story. They know the characters and stop if they get lost in the story and re-read to find about a character. Poor readers just read words and are not engaged in the story.

Third: Help children listen to how language is formed and words are manipulated. Rhyming in poems or fairy tales is productive. Picture books and Dr. Seuss books are full of rhyming. After reading the story a few times, when you come to the end leave the last rhyming word off. See if your child can fill in the word.

Repetition books are great for teaching language development; books like Silly Sally, or The Napping House by Don and Audrey Wood. When it comes to “Here is a house a napping house where everyone is sleeping”, your child will be able to repeat it with you.

ABC books are important to teach alphabetical order and what starts with the letter “c” etc. Point to letters and repeat them to your child. You can never read too many ABC books.

Fourth: Retelling the story is important. When you finish the book have your child retell the story. Ask questions about the story; ask them what their favorite part was, have them talk about the characters. Another fun activity is to make puppets with storybook characters. Have the children retell the story using puppets.

It all comes back to reading and talking to your children. Let your children see your love for literacy. Parents keep up the good work; enjoying and leaning to love literacy is for the whole family!

Read to your Baby

It is never too early to read to your child. Read to your baby before your child is born. When your baby is born make a special time to read. When your child gets to be 6 months or older they love picture books. Get durable books, board books, books with pages that can be turned easily and can survive wear and tear because everything goes into his/her mouth. Babies love to be held and spoken to. As you read the book talk about colors, ask questions, talk about the pages. An infant won’t understand all the questions of the conversation, but it is the foundation of language.

Some children prefer books with built in activities, like lift flaps, touch and feel pages, or photographs. Children like the same story over and over. This is all right. Remember you are building vocabulary and closeness. The child is learning that reading is a skill worth learning. Let your baby choose what book he/she wants to listen to. He/she will come to have a favorite book or story but variety is also fine.

I was watching Rachael as her mother read to her while we were waiting in the airport. She was only 6 months old, but her hands flapped and her eyes got as big as saucers. Her smile was huge as she reached for the book. The very last page was a flap that lifted up. She squealed at the end of the book and wanted to start again. Rachael is on her way to being a reader. She has already found joy in books.

Because I teach school I want to be known as the “Book Grandma”. Surround your children and grandchildren with books. Make sure the books are within reach of the children. Put them at a level that they can be reached and loved. Children soon realize that there is a story within the pages. As you read to them they will begin to understand that a whole new world opens up as you read. So let’s, read, read, read!