Reading class in playschool is fundamentally about cultivating a love for books and stories and building foundational pre-literacy skills, rather than teaching formal reading (decoding words). It focuses on creating a rich, engaging, and enjoyable environment where children develop a positive association with books and the written word.

• Immersion in Literature: Children are surrounded by a variety of age-appropriate books – picture books, board books, touch-and-feel books, rhyming books, and simple storybooks.
• Interactive Storytelling: Reading sessions are highly interactive, with teachers using expressive voices, gestures, and encouraging children to participate by pointing to pictures, predicting what happens next, or repeating phrases.
• Developing Concepts of Print: Children begin to understand that print carries meaning, that stories have a beginning, middle, and end, and that we read from left to right, top to bottom.
• Vocabulary Expansion: Exposure to diverse stories introduces new words and concepts in context.

Phonological Awareness (Early Stages): Through rhymes, songs, and playful word games, children develop an awareness of sounds in language – a crucial precursor to phonics.

Reading classes offer a wealth of benefits that are critical for a child's overall development and future academic success:

1. Fosters a Love for Books and Reading: The primary goal is to create a positive and enjoyable experience with books, setting the stage for a lifelong love of reading.
2. Enhances Language and Vocabulary Development: Exposure to a wide range of words and sentence structures expands a child's receptive and expressive vocabulary.
3. Boosts Listening Skills and Attention Span: Children learn to sit and listen to stories, developing crucial concentration and auditory processing skills.
4. Develops Imagination and Creativity: Stories transport children to different worlds, encouraging them to visualize characters, settings, and events, thereby stimulating their imagination.
5. Cultivates Empathy and Emotional Understanding: Through characters and their experiences, children learn about different emotions, social situations, and perspectives, fostering empathy.
6. Introduces Concepts of Print: Children begin to understand that print has meaning, that stories follow a sequence, and basic conventions of reading (e.g., directionality, concept of a word).
7. Strengthens Pre-Literacy Skills: Activities like rhyming, identifying beginning sounds, and recognizing familiar words lay the groundwork for later reading instruction.
8. Promotes Cognitive Development: Story sequencing, predicting outcomes, and connecting ideas within a narrative all contribute to cognitive growth.
9. Encourages Communication Skills: Discussing stories, asking questions, and sharing thoughts about books helps children articulate their ideas.

Provides Comfort and Security: Shared reading experiences can be calming and provide a sense of routine and connection with the teacher and peers

Teaching reading in playschool is highly interactive and play-based, designed to make learning enjoyable and natural.

Creating a Rich Literacy Environment:

• Dedicated Reading Corner: A cozy, inviting space with cushions, rugs, and shelves filled with a diverse collection of age-appropriate books easily accessible to children.
• Book Rotation: Regularly rotate books to keep the collection fresh and interesting.
• Labels and Print: Label items around the classroom (e.g., "chair," "table," "toys") to show that print carries meaning.

Interactive Storytelling and Read-Alouds:

• Daily Read-Alouds: Make reading aloud a consistent part of the daily routine.
• Engaging Delivery: Use expressive voices, varied tones, facial expressions, and gestures to bring stories to life.
• Encourage Participation: Ask open-ended questions during reading ("What do you think will happen next?"), invite children to point to pictures, repeat refrains, or make animal sounds.
• Picture Walks: Before reading, go through the pictures in a book and discuss what they see and what they think the story might be about.

Activities to Build Pre-Literacy Skills:

• Rhyming Games: Play games with rhyming words, sing rhyming songs, or read rhyming books.
• Sound Games: Play "I Spy" with beginning sounds (e.g., "I spy something that starts with /b/ like 'ball'").
• Letter Recognition (Playful): Introduce letters through songs, puzzles, magnetic letters, or simply pointing them out in books and around the room (e.g., "That's the letter 'A' like in your name, Aryan!").
• Story Retelling: After reading, encourage children to retell the story in their own words or act it out with puppets or props.
• Sequencing Activities: Use picture cards from a story to help children put events in order.

Modeling and Encouragement:

• Teacher as a Reader: Teachers model a love for reading by visibly engaging with books.
• Positive Reinforcement: Praise effort and engagement ("I love how carefully you were listening to the story!" "You did a great job remembering that word!").

Individualized Attention: Spend one-on-one time looking at books with children, listening to their comments, and answering questions.