Kindergarten: Now We're Teaching Reading?

Terry wrote this beautiful analogy for teacher and parents to understand why and how we work on "teaching reading" in kindergarten.

First, the Roots!

Remember the seed?  It comes with everything packed into it that it needs to become a plant.  It is planted into the soil.  The environment is very important, for in order for it to grow it must have water, minerals, and sun.  It emerges from what seems to be a dormant state. 

What comes first?  It is the root.   Tiny at first and then with the proper care and environment - a rich one- the roots begin to spread.  This happens long before one actually sees the plant emerge.   Most people do not think about this growing of the roots because they begin to notice the plant only after it begins to emerge or grow above the soil.  Then people begin to care for the plant as it continues to grow.  But what if the root system could not or did not develop well?  What if the plant comes up weak and seems to take a long time to get its second leaves?  Supporting that plant's growth will have to take some intervention. 

Let's look at starting to help the seed at the stage of the roots.  Root development would seem to be invisible but is very important. Now, think of emerging literacy skills, a term used by Marie Clay. Long before grade one when most stems and first leaves appear a lot of language growth must occur - the root system as it were.  This root system is vitally important for the growth of the plant and its future health.  The environment is important here.  Print rich, with the child hearing many stories, noticing and talking about signs, experimenting with scribble writing, pretend reading, story telling, and playing with rhymes. This work is done in the home, in day cares.  Talking, exploring, asking questions, and receiving answers.  This is extremely important work being done way before the child steps into the classroom.   

In kindergarten we continue with the nurturing of the roots and occasionally we also see the growth of the stem and leaves like I did this year.  To ensure a widely connected large root growth we  work with phonemes, phonics, rhymes, tongue twisters, poems and stories.  We model the reading/writing process. We model reading strategies.  We play with words and word families. We teach the alphabet through words and pretend writing.  We set up play to allow for the creation of literacy materials by the children. In this respect, yes we do teach reading.

Children who come from environments that have not developed this extensive root growth are at-risk.  They are unable to make use of the nutrients in the same way as other plants with more extensive root systems.  They cannot process or take in as much 'food' as the healthier plants because they do not have as many roots or connections to bring it to them or to integrate the nutrients. These children need special care with an extra rich environment (Early Literacy Initiative) until the root system has become healthy and strong.

As the plant continues to grow different kinds of work becomes necessary .  Sometimes we cut the main stem to help it to branch.   We teach multi-strategies.  We do not rely on a single stem or method because to add variety and strategies encourages the branches to spread and the plant becomes thicker and healthier.  Once past this critical nurturing period, the plant begins to flower or to yield produce. The stable root system remains in place, feeding the healthy plant for a productive mature season.  So, too, the development of solid literacy "root systems" in the very earliest school experiences will anchor each child's literacy growth for life.

A  telecollaborative project  which addresses literacy issues in kindergarten: Eight teachers have recorded their literacy events over the year. Ideas have developed as a result of this telecollaboration and are posted on their website: http://www.kinderlit.ecsd.net.