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Mrs. Madden's Kindergarten Korner |
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Lap Reading In order to learn to read, children must learn how books work. They must develop "concepts about print." Some of these concepts will seem pretty simple to you, but children only learn them if they have been read to a great deal and have had many opportunities to handle books. Concepts about print include knowing where the front of a book is and where the back of a book is, knowing how a book opens, knowing right side up from upside down and the top of a page from the bottom. Simply reading to a child on your lap will help him or her learn basic concepts about print. As your child sees you turn the page, or better, participates in page turning, he or she gains a sense of how books work. Your child will see where a book begins and where it ends. Your child will see how you read from front to back. And, it is important that your child be close to you while you read.
Some concepts about print require a bit more than just reading to your child in close proximity. For instance, your child must eventually understand that it is the print—the words on the page—that is being read. The print, more than the pictures, carries the message. This is not readily apparent to children unless the adult who is reading occasionally points to the words while reading aloud. Pointing to words while reading also will support another concept about print: In English, we read from left to right and top to bottom. When you move your finger under a line you are reading and then lift your finger to move down to the next line of print, you are teaching your child directionality of text.
One way to support your child’s emerging literacy and help him or her develop "concepts about print"is through lap reading. Lap reading occurs when your child sits on your lap and you read a story together. Not only are you sharing a love for reading, you’re also encouraging and modeling reading strategies. And, most importantly, this is a unique and special time for you and your kindergartener to be together.
Lap Reading is a monthly program that encourages parents and their children to read together every day. Each month your child will bring home a “Lap Reading Log” and a "Lap Reading Book Report Form." This is a simple way to record all the books you read together. At the end of each month, your child may pick his/her favorite “Lap Reading” book and write and illustrate a short report telling our school family about it. Each “Lap Report” will go in a special book for the children to use in our classroom reading area. Children who return the recording sheet each month with an illustration of their favorite book will receive a special treat.
Click on the links below to access and print the Lap Reading Log
and Lap Report for the current month. Happy Reading!!
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