Pre-Kindergartners
learn best when they are surrounded by an intriguing, fun and welcoming
environment. Through the use of developmentally appropriate instruction, a
young child has the ability to learn and excel.
The
curriculum incorporates the child’s interests and needs. At the
Pre-Kindergarten level, the child’s social, emotional and physical growth are
all important aspects for the child’s development.
The
curriculum is based on thematic units which are taught throughout the year.
Every week there is a new theme and in every thematic unit we consistently work
on the following skills:
Reading Program
The
pre-kindergarten reading program is taught by using interactive activities,
assessments, positive reinforcement and guided reading.
Interactive
activities help the child decode words, learn phonics, and get an understanding
of reading. Children learn that letters make sounds and sounds make words.
After the child sounds out the word, they are able to put meaning to the word.
Pre-Reading Activities:
Singing the ABC song
Using textile letters
Recognizing and sounding out the letters of
the alphabet
Using magnetic letters
Stamping out letters
Learning the parts of a book (beginning,
middle and end)
Read alouds
Books with repetition and rhyme
Using picture books to associate words with
the pictures
Using paint and shaving cream to trace out
letters
After
the child has practiced pre-reading activities they are able to start putting
words together. We start with sight words in the beginning reading stage. After
the child has learned simple sight words, they are now able to begin to read
words through decoding and memorization in small mini-readers.
Guided Reading:
Guided
reading is performed in a small group setting. While the teacher is working
with a group of children the rest of the class is working on independent center
work.
Guided
reading provides the child with a one on one approach. This approach allows the
child to learn how to begin the reading process while focusing on the child’s
needs. The process of guided reading helps the child feel comfortable in a
small group setting and gives him/her a positive outlook on reading.Positive reinforcement is important in making
a child’s early reading experience a positive one.
Guided reading activities:
Picture walks (use of pictures to help figure
out words)
Print awareness (learning that print begins
from left to right)
