Non-fiction: Teacher-Recommended

Just the other day, I had the chance to listen to a couple of outstanding, local kindergarten teachers talk about important concepts to work on with young children to better prepare them for success in kindergarten. One of the things that the teachers mentioned was to encourage reading more non-fiction books. They said that even though some kids do a great job retelling stories and can tell you all kinds of details about what they heard after they’ve been read a fictional story, many of their students struggle to provide any kind of information about what they’ve learned after listening to a non-fiction book.

I’m always encouraging parents to read factual books about topics that interest their children because of all of the new vocabulary words presented in non-fiction books and the general knowledge that these books provide about the world around them. Hearing that these teachers see a need is just one more reason to expose kids to non-fiction from an early age.

Using the book Elephants (from one of my favorite non-fiction series for young readers, Seedlings) as an example, here are some strategies to help your child with critical thinking and comprehension:

-After reading, ask him to tell you something new that he learned: “What is one thing you learned from this book?”

-If he struggles to come up with something on his own, ask him a question that’s a little less broad: “Do remember anything about how elephants eat?”

-If necessary, guide him even more: “Do elephants use hands to get food into their mouths?”

-If he still can’t come up with anything, you can answer your question: “The book said that elephants use their trunks to get food into their mouths! Can you imagine picking up food with your nose?! Let’s read that part again!”

-Another great approach is to talk about what you hope to learn before you read the book: “I want to know what elephants eat. What do you want to learn? Let’s see if we can find out the answers while we’re reading!”

Are you already in the habit of reading non-fiction with your little ones? If so, what are some ways in which you assist with and check for comprehension and retention?

We've Got Skills...Narrative Skills!

In order for kids to be able to read, acquiring certain pre-reading skills is essential. Possessing strong narrative skills--the ability to describe things, put events in order, and retell stories--is important for reading success. Helping your child develop narrative skills is something that you can do early on, even when your little one is a baby. Here are some easy ways to help develop these skills at different ages:

Babies: When your baby is babbling and cooing, talk to him and add more words to it. It’s okay that you don’t know exactly what he’s saying!

Toddlers: As you go through your day, narrate for your child. Hearing you talk in detail about what you’re doing will help her understand how to order events. For example: “Let’s brush your teeth. First we’ll get your toothbrush. Then, we’ll need to find the toothpaste and unscrew the cap. After that, we’ll squeeze a little onto your brush. Now we’re ready to clean your teeth!”

Preschoolers: Encourage your child to retell stories after you read them. Not only does doing this help to strengthen his narrative skills, but it also gives an indication of his comprehension level. If he’s having trouble, you can prompt him: “How did the story start? Then what? What happened next? How did it end?”

By assisting your child in developing narrative skills, you’re not only helping her get ready to read, but you’re also making it easier for her to express herself.

Again?!

As parents of small children, I’m sure “again” and “more” are words that have haunted you in your sleep at some point. Children love repetition, and they aren’t shy about making that known! Though reading the same book over and over (and over, and over, and over…) becomes more than a little monotonous for adults, kids benefit from that repetition. Through repetition, their brain cells are making all kinds of connections which help them learn.

So, instead of discouraging your child from having you read the same book five times in a row, try reading it in different ways. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

-Rather than reading the words, go through the book looking only at the pictures. Talk about what each picture is, and relate what you can to experiences you or your child may have had.

-Try singing the story or using different voices to read it. It’s a silly way to switch it up enough to make the same story more interesting for you, and your child will LOVE it.

-Have your child retell the story to you. This will help him develop narrative skills which help with comprehension. Plus, it’s always fun to hear his understanding of the story’s events. If he has a hard time doing it without the book, have him go through and use the pictures to guide his retelling.

Hopefully these tips will help you survive those one-book marathons your child begs to have. And if you come up with any other creative ways to address this issue, by all means, please share them here!