Leo came in on Friday very excited to show Sauci and me two books that he had brought from home. He bounded into the classroom telling us that he brought in two books that he could read and wanted to read to us! As we settled into our morning routine, Leo pulled out his book and started reading to me. And lo and behold, he knew each word! I was watching him amazed with myself wondering how I didn't know that he could read before. As I kept watching him, I saw Leo turning away from the book, but continuing to read. And then it clicked. He had memorized the book!
Leo is in the wonderful stage called pre-reading. He has found books that he really likes and connects with, and most likely asks to hear them over and over. He has read them so much that he started picking up on more than just the story, but also how many words are on each page, and how to match up the pictures with the words. While Leo may not be reading the words right off of the page, he is reading. He has learned the flow of a book, when it is appropriate for punctuation, and when to turn the page in the story.
Leo is very proud of himself, and he should be! As you can see in the picture above, some of his classmates came over to hear the great stories that Leo was reading. Pre-reading is a normal developmental stage on the way to reading. Children watch how their parents and teachers read to them, as well as how they read to themselves, and model that behavior. This helps children create the stepping stones to reading individually!
-Alison
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