When you walk into a school for the first time for nursery admission of your child in an international school in Baner, Pune, you might notice something common in every classroom: there are books everywhere! That’s easy to figure out why it happened. Reading is frequently regarded as being an essential component of a child’s development from the Montessori level up until they have finished their basic school.
A Montessori preschool’s main principles place a focus on freedom and satisfy young children’s intellectual curiosity. One aspect of this is encouraging reading. Montessori schools have swiftly gained a solid reputation among forward-thinking parents all across the world. They put a lot of focus on a child’s overall development, which includes their education, extracurricular activities, and cognitive development. They are gradually introduced to the fascinating world of academia. Additionally, reading is very important to this transformation.
Here are some strategies Montessori preschools use to help kids develop the habit of reading:
- Keep books close at hand
To grab the kids’ interest, many schools contain a lot of books that are coloured vividly. The students may easily access several books that are scattered across the classrooms in Pune. Some classrooms opt to have a special selection of books in nearby baskets so that the young learner is encouraged to approach and choose a book he or she enjoys. Toddlers can access the books from a little shelf that is accessible to them. Once a child is drawn to a book and its plots, he or she is likely to continue reading frequently.
- Connect reading to actual situations
The information in reading materials might be related to everyday life. Ask the student about his or her experience at the planetarium and how the stars resemble what he or she saw, for instance, if the book is about the universe.
You can carry out additional actions to make the story come to life. Ask the child to come up with entertaining ice cream-related scenarios, such as flavours, asking parents for ice cream, sharing with siblings, etc., for instance, if the book mentions ice cream.
- Analyse stories more closely
It’s usually a good idea to get the student involved in a story by posing inquiries concerning the protagonist’s deeds, emotions, and ideas. The narrative is meant to be connected to the child’s experiences at home or in school.
Teachers could ask their children to count the stars as they are resting on their beds at night in relation to the poem “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” for instance. The students can then discuss the number of stars counted the night before with the teacher. These situations will not only aid the youngster in deriving deeper meaning from the narrative but will also foster imaginative thinking.
- Regularly switching the books out
It’s important to sustain the child’s interest in reading throughout time. Therefore, it is essential that the books in the classroom are switched out frequently. It makes sense to just have two to four books out at a time, even if the room is filled with volumes. After the student has finished these books, the teacher can switch them out for new ones. You could wonder how long the books should be rotated. There isn’t really a perfect timing, although many Montessori schools change the books about every two weeks.
This project with a Montessori influence will offer the kid a good amount of variation. Additionally, it guarantees that the child has access to no more than two or three books. Thus, despite the vast quantity of books available overall, he or she won’t feel overwhelmed. By taking this action, the child will undoubtedly increase her vocabulary.
- Help your kids to make their own decisions
The finest decision regarding books suitable for young children may be made by teachers. But with the Montessori-inspired approach, the child also has more control over the books they choose to read. The child’s passion for reading will continue to burn brightly in their heart thanks to this freedom of choice. Allow her to choose one or two novels. In this approach, teachers can also alter their choices in accordance with the students’ preferred choices. The level of involvement tends to be higher because the student now reads the book of their choice.
Keep in mind that students could experience a period where they dislike reading. The future? Could the comic book they choose be the catalyst for rekindling their passion of reading? Therefore, it is a good idea to allow the child to choose the books that they wish to read.
- Establish a special reading area
This area of the classroom, a designated reading nook, is well-known to teachers in Montessori preschools. For the child to sit in the corner, a comfy chair is required. For reading to be enjoyable, this nook must have appropriate lighting. To entice the young child to come to the corner and read books during free time, the entire environment must work together. This is an additional step that can help kids develop the positive reading habit.
Last words
Technology is consuming more and more of kids’ valuable development time. Reading continues to be an essential component of a child’s development, regardless of how advanced our technology has grown. Therefore, it’s crucial to motivate them to read more. As a result, these programmes offered by Montessori schools in Baner, Pune help youngsters become interested in reading and stay that way.
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