Welcome to Forest Hill Nature Preschool’s Reading Program!

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“To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled is a spark.” – Victor Hugo
My name is Caland Herb. I have worked at FHNP for the last four years as a classroom teacher in the three’s and I am so excited to begin this position as the reading teacher! Prior to working here, I received my bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and special education from Towson University. As the reading teacher, it is my goal to lay the foundation for beginning reading and develop confidence and excitement about literature in a positive, encouraging environment.
 
The reading program is specifically for the students in the four-year-old classrooms that will be going into Kindergarten the following year. The goal is to introduce basic literacy skills to them in order to help prepare them for their continued learning and future reading. Students meet in small groups every week in the reading room/library that is located behind the school office. During this time, they will participate in games, activities, story time, and more!

Literacy Goals and Objectives

Below are some of our goals and objectives that we work on. These standards have been taken from multiple sources including Pre-Kindergarten Maryland College and Career Readiness and Reading Rockets.
Print Concepts
  • Demonstrate an awareness that words are read from left to right, top to bottom, and page-by-page
  • Understand that words are separated by spaces in print
  • Recognize and name uppercase and lowercase letters
  • Identify the difference between a letter and a word
 
Key Ideas and Details
  • Ask and answer questions about key details in a text
  • Retell a familiar story
  • Identify characters, settings, and major events in a story
  • Identify the role of author and illustrator
  • Identify the parts of a book
  • Identify the difference between fiction and non-fiction books​
Phonics and Word Recognition
  • Recognize that words are made up of letters and their sounds
  • Begin to produce the most frequently used sound for each letter
  • Recognize name in print as well as some environmental print
 
Phonological Awareness
  • Recognize and begin to produce rhyming words in spoken language
  • Count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words
  • Isolate and pronounce the initial sounds in spoken words
  • Blend and segment onsets and rimes of single syllable spoken words
  • Orally blend and segment individual sounds in two-to-three letter/sound words​

Writing
  • Print uppercase and lowercase letters in first name and begin to print/create additional uppercase and lowercase letter​
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How Can You Help Your Child Learn to Read?

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents” – Emilie Buchwald
1. Books galore – Keep books in sight as much as possible. Create a library at home, even if it is just a book basket with a few books. Then read and reread!
 
2. The alphabet – ABC’s open the doors of learning to read through phonics. Teaching letter names and sounds is simple and fun. You can use play dough to build and stamp letters, help find letters in their environment, do uppercase/lowercase matching, provide magnet letter play, and much more
3. Read and think aloud – Read to your child or have your child read to you. Comprehension doesn’t need to be complicated. Talking about what is being read makes thinking about what is being read a habit
 
4. Reading and writing – Reading and writing go hand in hand! Better readers become better writers. Better writers become better readers. You can start with pictures by drawing, labeling, writing or telling a story, or drawing a picture about a book you’ve read.
Source: A Teachable Teacher

Reading for 10 minutes per day = 3,650 minutes per year!

Got Books?

We are always taking donations for books to add to our school library! If you have any unwanted books that are  age-appropriate and in good condition, you may drop them off in the school office. ​Thank you!