Home / Educators / Professional Development (3 - 5 YEARS) / Building a Community of Readers and Writers
- Introduction
- Teach Through Books and Conversation
- Create Opportunities to Build on Reading
- Integrate Reading and Writing Throughout the Day
- Try It
- Wrap Up
- Standards
- active reading: strategies readers need to help them understand the text and remain engaged
- environmental print: print found in the everyday world, such as store and traffic signs, logos, menus, calendars, price tags, and so on
- print awareness: the understanding that print is organized in a particular way (e.g., it is made up of letters, words, and spaces between words; it is read from left to right, and top to bottom; it carries a message)
Try It
It’s time to practice what you’ve learned. In this activity, you’ll apply the strategies and techniques you’ve learned to your program’s learning environment.
The Reading Connection
Design reading and writing activities based on a read-aloud book. Download and print The Reading Connection (PDF).
Read a short read-aloud book.
- What questions will you ask children before, during, and after reading to keep them engaged and active? List five or six questions.
- What vocabulary will you define or ask children to define?
- How will you incorporate related reading and writing activities throughout the day—into learning centers, daily routines, and environmental print?
- How will you encourage children to read on their own or with a buddy?