Littles, Literacy, and Learning in the Library

Funded Apr 17, 2023

Littles, Literacy, and the Library

My Donors Choose project has benefitted our Prekindergarten and Kindergarten scholars greatly. You should have seen the glow on their faces as I revealed each book. Their reaction to the instruments was priceless. It truly warmed my heart.

Not only are our scholars eager to read books, but they are also excited about trying to write. This is such an improvement since last year. Unfortunately, our scholars do not have the support from family members due to their schedules, educational background, and lack of resources. So, reading is not valued at home.

We know that reading daily to young children, starting in infancy, can help with language acquisition, communication skills, and literacy skills. However, many of our scholars miss hearing good reading, if any at all prior to coming to school. Therefore, we must play catch up with our Prekindergartners and Kinder scholars when they start school for them to gain the language skills that they need to become strong readers.

According to the Children's Bureau, studies have shown that "the more words that are in a child's language world, the more words they will learn, and the stronger their language skills are when they reach kindergarten, the more prepared they are to be able to read, and the better they read, the more likely they will graduate from high school." (PBS KIDS) That is why it is so important that our scholars hear great reading daily. Simply put, our children need good readers reading to them to help them grow.

This project has served that purpose in so many ways. The talking books are giving them the vocabulary that they need to be successful in their academics. We have interactive alphabet books, number books, books about shapes, nursery rhymes, community helpers, dinosaurs, and transportation. These books benefit me and the learner.

Now, I can work with a small group while the books teach individual scholars. One learner was excited to tell me that he could read because he was able to repeat the names of the dinosaurs after the narrator from the book. Another excited learner was able to repeat her alphabet and was excited to hear all the letters in the book pronounced. Many of them say LMNOP as one letter. The book broke them down one page at a time. Yay! How exciting that was.

Another benefit of receiving this project is the musical aspect. When children hear music, they move to the beat. What a great opportunity that was for me to introduce rhyme and rhythm using the instruments. In the spring semester we jammed to the beat as I introduced four letter rhyming words. The instrument playing had them all attentive because only those scholars who could give me a rhyme were able to join the instrument group.

We began our semester with Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales. This semester, I can display the books so that they can check them out and read while they are in the preschool library room.

I have seen overwhelming participation during the reading time of the class. Reluctant readers are becoming confident, and their concentration and participation has increased. What a wonderful project this has proven to be!”

With gratitude,

Ms. Eaglin