Skip to content There’s no denying that kids these days are immersed in technology, sometimes to the point where we have trouble keeping up with them. While there are many online programs available for home use that are educational and entertaining, different priorities should be considered when purchasing resources for the classroom. Reading programs for kindergarten, like those developed by Essential Skills, will offer many features that are useful to classroom teachers.
Early reading programs should be curriculum-based, with structured, systematic lessons that allow children to advance when they are ready. A well-designed kindergarten reading program will give students and teachers instant feedback, create reports on progress, and help to pinpoint areas of need. With these educational options, the program should blend well with in-class, teacher-led activities.
Using online reading programs for kindergarten can keep absent students up to date, allow teachers more one-on-one and smaller group time, and of course provide fun for kids. It is not always easy to keep students engaged in online learning or in the classroom. Here are some tips to help keep your students focused and engaged during their day.
- Motivation- Everyone works harder when feeling motivated. One great way to motivate kids to focus on learning is to individualize their school experience. Make sure that students are comfortable in the level of work, and they get specific extra help if necessary. Find out something about each of your students and provide for their interests. Always recognize when children are successful, especially when they accomplish difficult tasks. Kindergarten reading programs from Essential Skills allow students to work independently at their own level and pace. They also offer positive feedback for correct answers, making kids feel successful in their learning
- Visual- When using a camera to communicate in class or to remote learners, always remember they can see you, even if you can’t see them. Be sure to communicate using facial expressions as well as words. Present yourself as happy, confident, and interested in what your students have to say. Your background should be simply designed, colorful, and focused on the topic. If you use film clips or animations, be sure they are clear and correctly formatted
- Audio- Practice recording lessons and listening to your voice. Read clearly and with correct inflection. Younger children can practice skills with phonemes by using a kindergarten reading program from Essential Skills to reinforce classroom learning
- Inspiration- All children are individuals with unique strengths and needs. Learning styles can readily be tapped to enhance lessons. Essential Skills’ online reading programs for kindergarten offer bright colors, and interesting graphics for visual learners, clear pronunciations and verbal praise for auditory learners and keyboarding activities that appeal to tactile learners. When blended with a well-balanced classroom environment, every young learner should find a way to connect. In addition to learning styles, each child has special interests. Learning is always more engaging when it involves a subject you already care about. Together with a class enriched by various reading materials and pictures, the use of an online kindergarten reading program can expand the range of topics covered and offer children choices that will interest them
- Goals- One good way to keep kids on-task and focused is to set goals. Remember that goals should be well-defined, achievable, and assessable. Effective goals will be within the child’s reach. When they have successfully completed a task, a small reward like positive feedback will help boost that feeling of accomplishment. Online reading programs for kindergarten from Essential Skills offers students instant recognition while also communicating student performance to the teacher for quick remedial work if necessary
- Activity- A primary classroom is often a very active place. There is quiet time for listening to lessons or stories, reading alone or with a partner, or performing writing tasks. However, much of the day involves activity centers, games, and physical fitness. When blending online reading programs for kindergarten into your regular classroom routine, consider limiting time spent using the programs between 15 to 20 minutes. This should keep students actively engaged and on task while using these resources. Students can benefit greatly from using online reading programs for short periods consistently throughout the week
- Timing- In all classes a good sense of timing is compulsory. As a classroom teacher, you will begin with long-term and short-term planning, using the grade curriculum as your standard. With those larger forums your daily plans will consider what you want to teach, how you are going to achieve your goals, ways to ensure all students are performing at grade level, and your greater school environment. To successfully blend online reading programs for kindergarten with your other classroom activities, you need to be familiar with the program. By using online activities that compliment your lessons, you provide students with engaging practice activities that will accelerate their learning
- Patience- Teachers need to be patient with behavior and learning issues. Remember that students don’t mean to be frustrating! When a student is given tasks that are too easy, they may become bored; too difficult, they may become frustrated. Both of these issues will take an amount of patience to overcome but can often be remedied by ensuring that students are working at the correct level. This can be achieved with the use of reading programs for kindergarten developed by Essential Skills. These programs allow students to work and learn independently at their own level and pace. It’s independent, self-paced instruction at its best!