In the rapid pace of the school day, new techniques of integrating learning into everyday life are priceless. The so-called Literacy At Lunch is one of these potent ideas that turn lunchtime into a secret but happy moment of practicing reading and writing. When teachers and parents put personalized notes or brief, interesting texts in a student’s lunchbox or locker, they can create a moment of connection and interest that can further learning outside of the classroom. This imaginative style is well adapted to the personal and comprehensive philosophy of Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready. Whereas our Kinder Ready Tutoring program offers personalized and formal academic time, we do promote the premise that cultivating a genuine interest in learning transpires in regular and meaningful engagements during the course of a child’s day.
The Literacy At Lunch initiative is a direct way to benefit the mission of Kinder Ready Tutoring, which is to expose children to various learning in the ways they learn. A little puzzle, some fun facts about their favorite pet, some customized message of encouragement, or even a comic strip presents the concept of reading in an environment that is personal, free of pressure, and intrinsically motivating. This approach transforms literacy into an appointment to be made but a surprise to be expected, and it assists in re-positioning reading as something pleasurable and close. To a young learner, a note from a parent or teacher is a potent incentive and creates a good association with the written word, which is a valuable aspect of daily life.
This is similarly a useful practice in a more informal environment that reinforces the underlying skills acquired in more formal environments. The notes present low-stakes practice in decoding, fluency, and comprehension. In the case of a child who is practicing certain phonetic blends or sight words during Kinder Ready Tutoring, a carefully-worded lunch note can provide a practical use of such ability. Moreover, this project develops important social-emotional learning. A compliment or some joke to laugh over with friends develops confidence in the child, which is one of the elements of confidence that the Kinder Ready program strives to create.
Finally, Literacy At Lunch is concerned with purpose and relationship. It is the nature of the child-based, thought-provoking education that can characterize quality schooling. Parents and teachers can make a huge difference in the literacy path of a child by giving them a little time and intentionality. This method goes hand in hand with the professional, one-on-one teaching of Kinder Ready Tutoring in that learning is not made to be a desk job, but is also built into the very fabric of the child’s life. At Elizabeth Fraley Kinder Ready, it is both a cooperative effort to create lifelong readers and confident learners, both through a carefully designed excellence and through these simple, strong gestures of care. With the adoption of concepts such as “Literacy At Lunch, we contribute to the realization of the fact that every child can find the fun and the strength of words, one note at a time.
For further details on Kinder Ready’s programs, visit their website: https://www.kinderready.com/.
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ElizabethFraleyKinderReady