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a
note to Kumon parents
Kumon
has released a new read-aloud book list for 7A-3A Reading
Levels that parents can use to select books to read to their
young children. Reading aloud daily helps young children acquire
the prerequisite skills they need to eventually learn how
to read independently. A child also needs to possess a sense
of numbers when entering school in order to be successful
in learning math. Kumon parents are in a unique position to
be able to take advantage of this great opportunity to influence
the future success of their children in school. How can this
be done?
Ask
your Kumon Instructor for a copy of the Recommended Reading
List that now contains 100 Read-Aloud Books for very young
children, and READ READ READ to your child! We have selected
a variety of topics, authors and illustrators to captivate
the interest of our many students and parents. In other words,
this collection offers something for everyone. There are books
that teach, others that entertain. There are award winners
and books with illustrations that are so beautiful you will
want to give them a permanent home on your own bookshelf.
On this list of 100 favorites, you will find books that will
introduce your child to the alphabet, counting, best-loved
stories and classic tales. Approximately half of these 100
children’s books are written in rhyme. Many also have
a chant-like rhythm about them. Still others employ repetition
throughout the book (e.g. The House That Jack Built) because
these children's authors understand that rhyme, rhythm and
repetition are the 3 R’s that enhance children’s
awareness of the sound patterns of speech that children need
to possess before they can learn how to read.
Use
the book list to select books that expose your child to the
alphabet. Some books offer a simple introduction to it such
as Alligators All Around. Others, such as Old Black Fly, present
the alphabet in chant-like rhyme, while other books such as
A My Name is Alice offer a closer look at words that begin
with each letter of the alphabet. Select books that play with
language such as those by Dr. Seuss and encourage your child
to have fun with words.
There’s
even a math slant to the list. You can expose your child to
numbers in much the same way as you do to the alphabet. Mother
Goose MATH offers lessons in counting, addition and multiplication.
Other books on this list introduce numbers in very creative
ways, e.g. Ten Black Dots (1 to 10) and Bat Jamboree (1 to
55). Some books go beyond counting and expose children to
mathematical concepts. Ten Terrible Dinosaurs presents subtraction,
Each Orange Had 8 Slices introduces multiplication, The Doorbell
Rang introduces division, Sea Squares introduces squaring
numbers, and One Grain of Rice conveys the power of doubling.
Be
creative. Use your imagination. Seize every opportunity to
immerse your child in rich literature. Let books take your
child around the world. Read books such as Strega Nona which
is set in Italy, The Empty Pot in China, The Gigantic Turnip
in Russia and One Grain of Rice in India. Books can be used
for information, teaching a lesson, and pure enjoyment. Reading
to your child is an investment in his or her future. Investing
in the early years of your child’s life is critical because
much of the emotional and intellectual wiring of a child’s
brain takes place before he or she enters kindergarten. By
reading to your child every day, you also can teach him or
her that learning is fun and books are friends to revisit
again and again and again.
Andrea
Pastorok, Ph.D.
Dr.
Andi
Issue
19 Educational Psychologist
©
2001 Kumon USA, Inc.
Reprinted
with permission.
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