All early years practitioners know how important it is that young children learn to read. Adults need to make reading and sharing books a pleasurable experience for all children. When children see books as exciting, interesting and fun they will choose to read for themselves and share books with others.
It is really important to build up a book collection which will captivate young children and will help them to develop positive attitudes of themselves as readers. During 2005, this series looked at the ways in which practitioners could begin to build up a high-quality book collection incorporating classic story books, information texts, traditional tales, rhythmic and rhyming stories and books which deal with important issues.
This year we will consider developing the book collection further to support ever popular early years themes.
Planning themes
Practitioners in many early years settings choose to plan for broad themes as part of their medium-term planning. These themes are based on the interests and learning needs of children and should be very flexible, so that they can be developed as children's interests develop. Themes should be used to support planning, rather than limit it, and practitioners will often find it appropriate to plan additionally for ongoing learning and mini-topics to meet the needs of all children. Children's interests are generally captured by things that are familiar and relevant to them, and the same topics often arise. These often reflect aspects of the children's own worlds and include:
* Families and babies
* Animals and dinosaurs
* Vehicles and machines
* Plants, trees and growing
* The local environment - its buildings and people
Using books to support themes
Practitioners should always identify a selection of storybooks and information texts to support themes. It is important that adults plan to share storybooks and information texts with children in small groups, pairs and individually, during planned story sessions and throughout the day.
Children need to know that books can be used in the book area, and that they can also be used to support learning in other areas of provision within the setting. Practitioners should always include books as part of an interactive display which supports a theme.
These books should be available in addition to the range of high-quality texts which are always accessible to children.
Things that go
There are many books about vehicles or 'things that go' that appeal to children, including some old favourites, classics and newer titles. In addition to being integral to a central display, these books should be available for children to refer to throughout the environment. Staff should consider setting up an imaginative play or small- world experience based on one of the books and including the book nearby.
Tuff Spots (black builders' trays) are available from educational suppliers or building supply stores and are particularly suitable as they can be used indoors or outdoors, on tables or the floor. These experiences will help children to retell and develop stories through their play, and are particularly successful in supporting books that include a 'journey'.
When providing imaginative play experiences, including wheeled toys or boats, plan to include information texts that children are familiar with, so that they can use these to support their play.
Judith Stevens is early years adviser at Lewisham Education
Recommended core titles
Look out for other books by these authors
Mr Gumpy's Motor Car by John Burningham
(Red Fox, 5.99)
The Train Ride by June Crebbin (Walker, 2.99)
Who Sank the Boat by Pamela Allen (Puffin, 5.99)
Oi, Get Off Our Train by John Burningham (Red Fox, 5.99)
I Love Boats by Flora McDonnell (Walker, 5.99)
The Wheels on the Bus by Stephen Gulbis (Chrysalis, 9.99)
C is for Construction,
Big Trucks and Diggers from A-Z (Chronicle, 7.99)
Cars, Planes and Trains (MacMillan, 5.99)
Things That Go by Nicola Tuxworth (Lorenz, 3.99)
On Wheels by Pascale De Bourgoing (Moonlight, 2005)