Reading Strategies

Although many kindergarteners are not ready to read at this point of the year, we are learning new reading strategies that support even our beginning readers. This last week we focused very hard at looking at the pictures as our first strategy. Students are learning that whenever they are reading a book, simple or hard, that the pictures are important. Pictures support our text. In early emergent books the pictures directly tie to the words on the page. As students grow as readers, the pictures don't tell what is on the page, they support what text is on the page. When they begin reading chapter books they will know how to create those mental images of what the illustration would look life if there was one since they have grown to associate the pictures with text over time. Students will learn to describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear. Make sure that when you are reading with your child you take a picture walk prior to reading. What a great way to engage in conversation about what will happen in the story.