TEACHING PUPILS TO READ AND WRITE
Most grade school teachers know the importance of elementary education in the transition stage of learning of pupils, particularly in their ability to read and write. Because these initial years are important transitions, children must be taught to leave behind much of the play of preschool and focus into developing deeper academic skills through basic instructional patterns.
Elementary years progress from having beginner reading and writing skills to becoming beginning readers and writers themselves. Though this is basically a long a tedious process on the part of elementary teachers, much care is needed to identify who are left behind in matters of skill level.
It is therefore important to encourage a culture of reading and writing among young pupils. Grammar, vocabulary and rudiments of language when discussed in the classroom are not enough. Much is picked up from reading.
According to researcher Shira Ackerman, MA, the elementary classroom is usually organized more like a traditional elementary school classroom, with tables and desks at which students spend more of their time.
However, in most classrooms there is still a meeting area for lessons and class discussions, as well as areas or centers dedicated to different subjects of learning. Not all elementary graders become readers and writers overnight and different children learn at different paces, especially in 1st grade when there are many changes and new skills to acquire.
Reading is a fundamental skill that we all use every single day and we teachers can use this to our advantage when teaching pupils to read and write. We entice pupils to read newspapers, books, directions, text messages and even recipes and devise writing activities from these materials as well.
However, reading can be a challenging skill that many students struggle to master and most certainly, a majority of the pupils will not even pick up reading as habit on their leisure time. To overcome this, pupils must be given patience, dedication, and encouragement as these are certainly the cornerstones of teaching reading to primary l ear ner s.
Reading and writing should be introduced without traumatizing students. Also, there should be freedom in using a variety of literary materials. When you open up your student’s eyes to new and exciting reading material, you help them see the world in a whole new way. This makes reading and writing activities more exciting.
Allow your students time to explore non-traditional reading material that interests them. This will not only motivate them and keep them excited about reading, but it will offer reading challenges that typical texts may not. Suggest material like newspapers, magazines, recipes, comic-books, blogs, or song lyrics. Keep it fresh and fun and your pupils.
The author is Teacher — oOo—
I at Pio Elementary School, Porac West District