Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/deepening-childrens-literacy-learning-enhancing-the-read-aloud-with-extension-activities/5026820/
*Photos and Figure 1 can be found in the pdf version of this article.
I have been a university professor for just over 20 years. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with pre-service teachers as they seek certification to teach pre-K through fourth grade. Just over a decade ago, I began teaching the preschool methods and field course, for which students attend weekly classes on campus, learning theories of child development and developmentally appropriate ways to set up the learning environment for preschool students. In addition to the theory part of the course, the pre-service teachers spend six hours weekly in preschool classrooms working directly with 3- to 5-year-olds, engaging them in hands-on learning activities. Overall, this is a carefully structured course that brings both theory and field together, as pre-service teachers have the unique opportunity to teach their own hands-on, developmentally appropriate activity plans. Throughout the years, the pre-service teachers have shared that designing and implementing their own learning activities has always proven to be a highlight of the course. Having the opportunity to construct the multiple steps of a lesson plan by linking standards, creating behavioral objectives, and developing sequential procedures, all while making sure preschoolers are using hands-on developmentally appropriate ...