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After nearly a year of distance learning and being homebound during the pandemic, my young students have experienced a lot of screen time! I feel my 6 year old students will benefit greatly from listening to a good book read to them, while holding and reading a real book. It also addresses the Nevada Academic Content Standards ELA RL.1.10 and RI.1.10 Studies show that too much screen time is detrimental to the brain development of young children. As a 20 year veteran teacher, I have noticed an increasing struggle with focusing skills in my primary students. Although I am grateful to have and use some excellent online resources that build my students foundational reading skills, a listening center will provide an excellent offline alternative and help to reduce the amount of time they spend on a screen. Studies also show that listening centers promote a greater interest in reading, improves literacy skills and comprehension, and increases vocabulary and syntax levels. I have witnessed this firsthand. Before school closure due to the quarantine, concerned about the amount of screen time my students were engaging in and their difficulties focusing, I had introduced a (very old, now defunct) cassette-based learning center and was highly amused at the lively enthusiasm my students exhibited towards this brand new (to them) technology. They thought it was the greatest thing ever invented and couldn't wait for their turn to listen to a book on cassette! In addition to a CD listening center, I chose fiction and nonfiction titles that I know my students will find interesting and engaging. My goal, as always, is to instill in my students a lifelong love and enthusiasm for reading!
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