What is your earliest recollection of learning to read?
My earliest recollection of learning to read was before entering kindergarten. At home, I read Dr. Seuss ABC books in my bedroom, watched Sesame Sesame Street every morning and afternoon, and my parents read stories to me before bedtime each night. My sister and I listened to stories on the record player while following along with the printed text. Looking back now, I realize how much this increased my understanding of concepts about print. In kindergarten, our class listened to stories while we lay on nap mats and imagined how the illustrations would unfold in a storybook. I practiced writing letters in a workbook and was always excited to learn a letter found in my name.
By the time I entered first grade, I was convinced that I wanted to be a teacher. Yet as the students in my class were assigned to reading groups, I soon learned that many of my classmates were already reading words while I was not yet able. My friends were in different reading groups, and that feeling of disappointment quickly inspired me to work harder. Fortunately, my teacher was very loving and clam, displaying her own love for reading as she shared her favorite stories with our class each day. She quickly realized my lack of confidence, encouraged me, and watch me grow by leaps and bounds. Although I still struggled with comprehension skills, I made a great deal of progress during the school year.
So what do your remember about your earliest recollection of reading? What experiences shaped who you are as a reader today? Were those experiences positive or negative? Share in the comments below!
Disney books were always my favorite.
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