Importance of Reading in Early Childhood Education
Reading forms an essential pillar of early childhood education. Many parents are curious about the most effective ways to set their preschoolers up for reading success, even before they begin to read themselves. At times, this curiosity leads to a reliance on sophisticated software or intense reading programs. However, straightforward daily strategies, such as assisting preschoolers in comprehending the content they’re being read, can provide a fun, impactful, and age-appropriate pathway to successful reading. Developing skills in reading comprehension and sequencing are critical pre-reading abilities that preschoolers can work on even before they start reading independently!
Reading Comprehension is the ability to understand the implications of the text. Young learners may sometimes become so engrossed in the task of pronouncing words that they overlook the essence of what they’re reading. By going over the reading material together, you can guide your child to concentrate on the content of their reading.
Techniques to Improve Reading Comprehension:
Encourage Curiosity
When a character in a story performs an action that is elucidated later, ask your child why they believe the character acted that way. For instance, if reading “The Three Billy Goats Gruff,” you could ask your child why the troll allowed the smallest billy goat to cross the bridge instead of eating him. As the story progresses, you can check if their prediction is accurate.
Familiarize New Words
When you encounter an unfamiliar word, pause and inquire what your child thinks the word means. For instance, if you read, “There was an enormous crash!” ask your child, “What does enormous mean?” If they’re unsure, clarify the meaning, then re-read the sentence. This will enhance their comprehension and foster a readiness to seek clarification about unknown words. An expansive vocabulary is advantageous for reading as it is considerably simpler to pronounce a familiar word than an unfamiliar one.
Recollection Exercise
Before revisiting a well-loved story, you could remark, “I recall reading this story, but I have forgotten what happened to the pig. Can you remember?” Your child will undoubtedly participate and in the process, exercise the crucial skill of information retention and recall.
Engage with the Story’s Specifics
Once the story concludes, pose a series of questions about the events and characters. For instance: Why did the man conceal the book? Who took the cat to the vet? What transpired after recess concluded? Engaging in these post-reading discussions consistently will likely prompt your child to pay closer attention to the intricacies of the stories you share, which will later apply to the stories they read independently.
Sequencing refers to the capability to arrange the events of a story according to the chronological order in which they transpired. “Imparting the concept of sequencing to young learners is essential as the ability to logically structure thoughts underpins not only reading but also everyday life,” expresses Brenda Strickland, the author of Year Round Preschool Reading
Techniques to Enhance Sequencing Skills:
Encourage Proactive Predictions
When introducing a story, pose a question to your child about what they anticipate will occur next. For instance, in “The Gingerbread Man,” what’s their prediction for the gingerbread man’s fate after he climbs onto the fox’s back? If their conjecture wasn’t accurate, utilize this moment to stimulate their creativity by asking them to devise their twist to the story and ponder how it could have ended differently. Once you’ve read a story multiple times, pause and check if your child can anticipate the ensuing events.
Develop Sequence Cards
Upon the conclusion of the story, collaborate with your child to craft sequence cards. Using blank paper, either you or your child can sketch illustrations (even rudimentary stick figures are sufficient) to depict the primary events of the story. Your child can then verbalize the accompanying words for each image, which you can write down for them. They can arrange these cards sequentially. Start with a trifecta of cards for the beginning, middle, and end of the story, and progressively incorporate more as your child demonstrates readiness.
Create a Personalized Storybook
Encourage your child to transform their favorite stories into personalized books. Assemble several sheets of paper and fasten them together. Let your child dictate the words to you (or they can pen the phonetics they discern in each word as a representation of the words). They can complement each page with their illustrations.
By incorporating these simple queries and activities into your reading sessions, you can facilitate your child’s initial steps toward acquiring essential reading skills. Practicing reading comprehension and sequencing capabilities will empower your child to comprehend the content being read and gain an understanding of the narrative’s progression. Additionally, it will serve to enhance the enjoyment of the shared reading experience!
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