Reading Aloud in Kindergarten: Lesson Plan Essay (Critical Writing)

Topic of Lesson

Understanding pictures and understanding text: What is the difference?

Length of lesson

Approximate length should be about two periods, each about 20 minutes.

Developmental level/Grade level

The approximate age of learners should be four to five years.

Grouping

The group should consist of approximately 15-20 students.

Literacy Development Objective(s)

• Learn to understand the meaning of the text after reading aloud;
• Learn the difference of reading aloud and reading silently;
• Learn to understand pictures and use those to understand the text;
• Learn to discuss the difference between a picture and a text.

Related State Learning Standard(s)

Working on teams can be interesting and exciting for children. They are required to choose a leader of the team and share with this person all ideas for him/her to present those as the final version.

Procedures

Introduction

• Greeting students and explaining the objectives of the lesson to children;
• Introducing the activity of reading a big book;
• Explaining the rules of this game (this should be introduced as a game because children do not really like learning in its direct meaning);
• Giving an example of how the process will take place.

Learning Activity

• Make children divide into groups with equal number of members (help them to divide themselves);
• Give each team a book (the same book);
• Make children describe a picture;
• Tell children to read the text and interpret its meaning (make them explain what the text was about);
• Tell children to compare what they learnt from the book and from the picture.

Conclusion

• Analyze the effectiveness of children’s interpretation;
• Explain if they were wrong (do this on every step so that children were guided by you).

Adaptations for diverse learners

• If children have poor reading skills, a teacher should organize the reading aloud activity so that every participant knew what the text was about;
• If children have poor reciting skills, it is necessary to make them interpret the meaning of the picture in some other way (for instance, children can describe their emotions driven by this picture or choose some colors that characterize the mood of the picture).

Oral Directions and Guidance given to children

It is necessary to explain the children a step-by-step algorithm so that they could follow it after having divided them in groups in accordance with their leadership competencies and literacy skills:

• Choose a captain of your crew;
• Let every captain choose a picture from those given in the book;
• Try to explain what is depicted there (more than one version is allowed);
• Give suggestions on your rivals’ pictures.

Materials/Supplies Needed

It is necessary to provide each team with the same book.

Assessment of learning objectives and state standards

The lesson is designed in accordance with the state standards and the activities can be performed by all members of the team. Post-lesson reflective evaluation: I believe that I was rather effective as a teacher and children did neither get bored nor were passive and dissatisfied. I think that I could apply practices involving more individual participation such as preparing and reciting a poem or a song.