Teachers who use phonics to teach pre-literacy and literacy skills combined with great literature create more successful readers, according to a 2003 study conducted by The National Reading Panel. You can combine rhymes with phonics instruction to help children learn basic letter sounds and sounds for letter combinations.
Begin with a rhyme to reinforce the concept that word families that sound alike often use the same combination of letters to make the sound. Assign each student two placards to hold; one with a single consonant and the second with a combination of letter like "an" or "it" that will form a complete word when the two are placed together. Have each student bring his placards to the front of the class and share his word with the class. Group students together who have the same letter combinations, explaining that these are like family members with the same last name. Make a rhyme using the words created by each letter family.
Music can assist students to learn the spoken and written language, according to a study by Jon Stansell. Kindergarten teachers can lead students in singing familiar songs like nursery rhymes and "If You're Happy and You Know It." Allow a time during each class day for singing and indoor movement. Encourage students to get up and act out the songs or dance. You could also teach American Sign Language moves with the songs.
Kindergarten students explore geography of the seven continents as a part of their Social Studies curriculum. To create an indoor aid to this study, piece together a large world map for your story time area. Continents should be clearly marked. When reading a story about a different culture or an explorer's trip, you could have students literally travel across the map from one place to another. For example, in the story of the Pilgrim's journey on the Mayflower, a group of students could carry a cardboard boat from England to the shores of New England.
Students could also help construct a large neighborhood floor map for use in describing directions, locations and familiar places. Students can compare their map with a real neighborhood map found on Google Maps or maps provided by the local chamber of commerce or tourist bureau.
Students in kindergarten explore Native American culture as a part of their Social Studies curriculum. Using classroom chairs and long, pool foam toys, construct a teepee in your story area. Tell Native American stories in your teepee. You might use a U.S. map to locate the current home of the tribe.