ABSTRACT
As teachers, they can intentionally strengthen the connections between students as a part of literacy learning. Early literacy is built on the power of connections as children learn that sounds stand for words and that words stand for people, places, or things they know. There are countless ways books, stories, and storytelling strengthen our connections not only to texts but to one another. But, every book he reads is designed to spark deep thought, connection, and the comfort of hearing a story well-told it's a joyful ritual each day. When the read-aloud is a daily expectation at school, we nurture all students to make personal connections that inspire them to think and feel more deeply and wholeheartedly. Perhaps most importantly, a read-aloud routine helps students start to tell their own stories, which builds connections between students. Books that represent diverse society are no longer relegated to civil rights stories or biographies of people from the past.
