The act of reading aloud to small children is the most effective in the development of early literacy, the bonding of the parent and child, and the development of a lifetime fascination with stories. It is much more than mere chanting of words on a page; it is a participatory act that brings language, imagination and connection to life. Whereas such approaches are modelled by the professional teachers of Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready during Kinder Ready Tutoring classes, the Kinder Ready Elizabeth Fraley mission is to enable parents to be competent reading partners. With the help of several important best practices, parents can ensure that everyday read-alouds become highly engaging, enjoyable learning sessions that not only contribute to kindergarten preparedness in their child but also help them to develop an unwavering self-confidence.
The most significant and crucial one is to focus more on enjoyment and participation rather than quantity and speed. The idea here is to ensure that there are positive, anxiety-free associations with books. Find a comfortable and cozy place and pick books that suit your child and their interests at that particular moment, be it dinosaurs, fairy tales, or construction machines. Be expressive with the various characters, change the speed to create excitement or suspense and do not be afraid to be silly.
This is reflective of the dynamic style in Kinder Ready Tutoring, whereby teachers employ performance to get attention. According to one parent, the result of such an interactive style is that children not only learn but, most significantly, enjoy the process of learning. When a reader gets the laugh and cuddle, then a child will always learn to love reading and books, in general, with all his heart.
Secondly, make the read-aloud more of a dialogue by having a dialogic reading. This involves taking some time and asking open-ended questions beyond the recall level. Rather than stoning, what color is the ball? attempt questions such as, what do you think will happen next? or what do you suppose the character feels now? Draw pictures, label them using a variety of vocabulary: “Look–the huge, shiny moon. This is a two-way interaction that develops critical understanding skills, enlarges vocabulary, and involves the child in the story. This is the cornerstone of the philosophy of the Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready, which consists of exposing children to a variety of methods of learning, discussing and asking questions to help in a deeper comprehension and personal associations with the text.
Lastly, be attentive to your child and relate stories to their world. When your child is interested in taking five minutes on one page to ask questions, then follow them. In case they wish to jump ahead, then that is fine. Once you have read a book, relate to your child’s own life: That was a story of being brave. It was when you had been courageous at the doctor’s office. This assists in solidifying narrative cognition and emotional teachings. The strategies, as illustrated in Kinder Ready Tutoring lessons, are a marvellous guide to the parents who are in need of further guidance. With these as your best practices consistently, to be joy-centred, to foster dialogue, to do as your child wants you to do, you become the first and most significant literacy teacher to their child.
For further details on Kinder Ready’s programs, visit their website: https://www.kinderready.com/.
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ElizabethFraleyKinderReady
