Reading Aloud

I think that reading aloud in the class is so important. We have spent a lot of time talking about popcorn reading and how that makes so many of us feel uncomfortable. I think that choral
Reading would be wonderful because it allows the children to all participate
But not be singled out.
I also love the idea of small
Groups. This would mean that the children would have smaller
Groups and would not feel threatened reading in front of the whole
Class. This would also mean that children could work
Together to help each other with words or
Phrases that they are stuck on.

Poetry

Poetry is so exciting to do in the classroom.  Children get a chance to really express the way that they are feeling in words.  I loved that the teacher encourages the students to say what they think rain sounds like.  As a class they are participate to mimic the sound of rain.  Using something like this in the classroom will make students feel that it's okay to join in because everyone is doing something together.  My favorite part was the teacher explaining how expressive and passionate you can be in poetry.  I think this is something that we can really share with our younger students because it will also encourage journalism because they are writing down their own thoughts and feelings!

Maturation

Maturation is a huge contirubuting factor to children's "readiness" to read.  Many times teachers assume that children may all be on the same "level" of reading capabilities when this simply is not the case. This article states that you could have a room of twenty kindergarteners that are on twelve different capable reading levels.  Maturation deals with children's exposure to reading at the age that they are in.  Some children may have been read to every night while others have only been exposed to books while in the classroom.  The child's mental capabliities may not be able to handle books that other children in the class are able to understand.  It is important as Early Childhood Educators that we know all children will not be "ready" to read at the same time as their peers.  Children will develope the "readiness" to read the more that they are exposed to it in the classroom.  As teachers, we must make sure that all children are getting exposure to literature throughout the day in the classroom!