Page 110 - Reading Nest - The Supportive Literacy Environment Handbook

From the point of view of early literacy, it is vital for the kindergarten teacher to
use a variety of activities and opportunities.

• Texts in the environment: the teacher points out various texts in the
surroundings, shows a line, reads out meaningful guidelines (e.g. SHOES

MUST BE TAKEN OFF HERE). In the kindergarten group’s premises texts
appear on cupboards, walls and posters (e.g. WELCOME! etc).

• Learning of letters and sounds: the teacher integrates learning of sounds and

letters in everyday activities, discussing children’s names (whose name has
an L-sound in it, will now ...).

• Creative games: first the teacher makes sure that paper and pencils are
included in playing the doctor for writing a prescription, or playing the shop

for writing a shopping list, etc. Soon enough children begin incorporating

literacy in their games themselves, for instance playing school where they
make workbooks and pupils’ ID cards, or a travelling game would see

passports and visas and various forms for filling in at the border. The creative
games area would also have texts and books e.g. cookbook in the home game,

opening hours’ information, hair fashion magazines and a price list in the
hairdresser’s and so on.

• Listening and discussing: there should be equipment for listening to an audio

book. The teacher carries out various activities enhancing speech and
literacy: finding rhymes, listening to sounds, making syllables, language

games (tongue twisters), singing songs in different ways (sadly, cheerfully,

quietly, loud), having a range of discussion topics (on holiday, my family), and
use glove or finger puppets to illustrate activities.

• Writing: children write for various purposes or imitate writing (shopping list,

menu). The teacher and children make signs, posters etc. for their rooms.
• Books: the teacher talks about books with children, points out the title, letters,

words, uses poems frequently, counting out rhymes, short texts and stories.
The teacher reads aloud for small groups every day.

• Listening games: a range of devices for making sounds, e.g. instruments,

audio devices, sounds of the everyday life etc. Sounds can be made by clapping
hands, knocking or patting. The teacher plays sound guessing games, for

instance “Behind the screen” (adapted from Bruce and Spratt, 2011).