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GO BACK Tip 1: Use Your Body Language As readers, we have tools for creating an engaging reading experience: 1.We can deepen or soften our voices as we take on various characters especially those we know are our child’s favorites. 2.We also can use our voices to slow down rhythms for dramatizing the story sequences. 3.We can use body language to accentuate new vocabulary in context which are key to understanding the story. For example, they can use a variety of facial and body expression by lifting hands or raising eyebrows. Tip 2: Choose Books With Positive Role Models What we do with a story is just as important as how we do it. Building literacy involves learning new words, raising points for discussion and asking developmentally appropriate questions. More often than not, this can come naturally with books which have positive role model experiences and expressive pictures, which leave children with feel-good experiences. Role models in a story are the best and most effective way to work with literacy experiences. Are some role models words more salient than others? What aspects of the read-aloud would naturally perk your child? Here are a few suggestions to help guide you as you plan your next read-aloud. Tip 3: Get To Know The “Theme” Try and preread the story before you take it “live.” This technique guarantees that you are ready and prepared to do something on a level of literacy that will open the doors for your child. Books that have the good and evil concept can almost often be used explicitly for reinforcing a child’s understanding. “Why is he a bad character?” or as a prediction exercise: “Do you think he is going to help him/her?” As children mature in their reading experience, try adding a “why element” to complement the factual information they already know. You’ll be surprised at how many responses you receive each time! Tip 4: Tie Vocabulary Learning New vocabulary does not always need to be pre-taught, but rather introduced or explained in an enjoyable meaningful experience. In the beginning, keep the explanations short and to the point, using as many basic words as possible. Make a visual connection. Depending on their expressive content, pictures can be ideal for helping the child predict the rest of the story. Tip 5: Use Repetition Use books that have a repeating words and phrases in them. Dr. Seuss books are a great example in the undulating rhyme and rhythm. Besides the zany characters, young learners tend to recreate words from what they hear. Rhyming schemes are perfect for consolidating this linguistic experience. Tip 6: Put some music into it - Use chants Use the sing-song approach as you incorporate both melody and rhythm. Young children love chants. They are short and segmented. A child will quickly catch on. It is a nice way to start the morning with a quick chant from the previous night’s reading and a fun way to recycle vocabulary. Personalizing a story by putting your heart and soul into it doesn’t have to be automatic-there are gradual ways to create the perfect experience, which can be done in a way that is enjoyable and beneficial to all. |
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