Fill your classroom with words, and accompany them with visual cues. Display brightly colored posters, magazines, books, labels and charts of, for example, the alphabet, moods or days of the week. Match all pictures with words so that children can learn to read and associate the two. Gather a variety of material for the walls, and keep the environment stimulating by rotating them on a regular basis.
Set up bookshelves or a system of storage bins. Separate magazines, board books, picture books and easy readers in individual bins or sections. Clearly label each bin with a picture and word to help children identify where each type of material belongs. Further categorize by type of book such as animals, colors, alphabet, numbers and shapes.
Plan specific times in each day's schedule for group story time (reading aloud) and on-their-own reading in the library section. Place books strategically in each learning center; read books about special activities that you may do (for instance, a visit to the fire station); and help children understand the relationships between books and movies.
Create literacy activities around classroom themes. During a holiday season, for example, have each child read a holiday-themed book and draw pictures as a book review. Assist the children in learning to put pictures to words and words to pictures. Throughout the day, ask the children to read and write words they see on the walls, in the learning centers and in books.