Language and literacy development is crucial to kindergarten readiness. But reading books to this class alone is not enough; teachers should engage children in their class with a variety of activities and lessons that focus on vocabulary, print knowledge, phonological awareness and narrative development. Within this topic are modules and resources related to:
- The importance of integrating meaningful vocabulary throughout your students’ day.
- Print focused instruction and activities.
- Integrating repeated read-alouds into the day.
Power Words: Enhancing Children’s Vocabulary Development
Online Professional Development Module:
Activities
Request access to all Educator Toolkit Activities:
Enhancing Early Language and Literacy Skills Using Read It Again
Online Professional Development Module:
Activities
Book Kit
- Even Superheroes Have Bad Days by Shelly Baker
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. & John Archambault
- Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae & Guy Parker-Rees
- Mixed: A Colorful Story by Arree Chung
- The Night Before Preschool by Natasha Wing
- The Mitten by Jan Brett
- Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin
- Except When They Don’t by Laura Gehl
- Lola Reads to Leo by Anna McQuinn
- What Will You Be? by Yamile Saied Mendez
- Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems
- Bunny Cakes by Rosemary Wells
- Brave by Stacy McAnulty
- The Word Collector by Peter H. Reynolds
- How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
Resources
- Read It Again Crane Center for Early Childhood Education Curriculum Support Materials
Related Video Links
- Vocabulary Instruction Example
- Targeting Vocabulary Development
- Phonemic Awareness Information
- Phonemic Awareness Lesson Example
- Phonemic Awareness Lesson Example 2
- Reasoning Strategy Example
- Generalizing Strategy Example
- Predicting Strategy Example
- Eliciting Strategy Example
- Co-Participation Strategy Example
- Reducing Choices Strategy Example
Related Research
- Ezell, H. K., & Justice, L. M. (2000). Increasing the print focus of adult-child shared book reading through observational learning. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 9(1), 36-47.
- Justice, L.M. & Bowles, R. & Skibbe, L. (2006). Measuring Preschool Attainment of Print-Concept Knowledge: A Study of Typical and At-Risk 3- to 5-Year-Old Children Using Item Response Theory. Language, speech, and hearing services in schools. 37. 224-35. 10.1044/0161-1461(2006/024).
- Justice, L. M., & Ezell, H. K. (2004). Print Referencing. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools,35(2), 185-193. doi:10.1044/0161-1461(2004/018)
