Read Aloud Story Discussions Foster Learning

Not only do group reading times encourage early literacy skills, they help children learn new words and facts in meaningful ways and develop a love for a good story. One of the most significant elements of a great story time is the conversation or discussion that the story inspires.

So…do you have trouble keeping the discussions going? Here’s a tip: wear a mitten on one hand and pretend it is a puppet listening to the story with the rest of the children. If the conversation stalls or the children are not sure how to respond, wiggle the mitten’s thumb as if the puppet is raising its hand for a turn to talk. Use the puppet to respond and model good group time manners at the same time.

To help children feel more comfortable “guessing,” try using the puppet to guess an answer and ask the children to help explain more about the story to help the puppet understand. OR use the puppet to respond inappropriately – and then ask the children to help remind it of the “group time manners.” When teachers welcome questions and comments during stories, young children stay more focused and can practice using new vocabulary to share their ideas.