Treehouse Literacy Program
What is the Treehouse Literacy Program and what do our children experience in the Treehouse Literacy Program?
Our children are born communicators! From their first cries to their first words they constantly want to express themselves. They are eager to absorb the world around them that includes sounds and language.
Scientific evidence tells us that a child’s developing brain is dependent on the quality and quantity of experiences available to them in their early years. At Treehouse, our entire school program is designed to provide a rich learning experience. Starting in the Aspen classroom, children come to the library in small groups, between three and six children, to experience literacy. Our emphasis is on the children’s oral language. I may read a book to the children and ask them to make a connection, a prediction or to compare and contrast this book to a similar book. The purpose is to create an inviting atmosphere where children feel safe to communicate their ideas.
We also play a game called “I Spy”. With the younger children we simply give them a clue, e.g., “I spy with my little eye an object that is green and lives in the water.” As children progress we say “I spy an object with the sound “f” or ends with a sound “g”. We may also recite a nursery rhyme while clapping out the rhythm. At the end of our literacy session, children have some free time to select a book from our school library. We learn where certain books are located in the library and what the colored dots on the book’s spine mean. We also learn how to respectfully treat a book and how to turn pages.
Most importantly, we want the children to experience the joy and sense of accomplishment that learning language can bring to the child. These oral language skills play an important role in children’s reading, writing, and thinking skills.
Please feel free to stop by the library with your child and have them select a book to take and read at home!
Charlotte Fountain