If you asked first-grader Sela Turkel to read to you, not only would she do so happily, she would tell you who Red Rooster meets ... with sound effects!
Impressively, it is the effect that Sela herself has had in inspiring a new innovative DVD which features children (including Sela) reading. The inspiration started last year when Sela returned to her “alma mater” , to read to 3- and 4-year-olds. What started out as a sweet, nostalgic return to yesterday, soon transformed into an idea that has spurred an exciting initiative.
Longtime FPCNS Director Patricia Bria Case said, “The concept of children reading to children is brilliant. First, it is relatable — it is one little person reading to another little person. These children are pre-reading or just about to read and to have a peer read to them really peaks their interest and excitement about the wonderful gift of reading.”
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And that is exactly what happened! Imagine a group of 20 3-year-olds mesmerized. Or a group of 20 4-year-olds engaged. Not only did it impress Sela’s father, Brad Turkel, the media production professional quickly saw the inspirational value of children sitting in front of a peer with their faces all displaying a wonder that shouted “Wow, that can be me!”
And thus Can I Read To You? was born, not as a program to teach kids HOW to read. Instead, with the intent to assist to introduce young children to books and have a positive impact on their appreciation for literacy through modeling. Turkel’s production company, Ten Mayflower Productions in conjunction with NBC Universal, embarked on finding other young readers and landed on 14 real kids, not actors, from Riverside School as well as from in Norwalk. The 14 different kids read 14 different kinds of books – some are silly, some are funny; they are heartwarming; they are about animals and shapes among other concepts that preschoolers are attracted to.
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Whomever the reader and whatever the story, the videos all have some important commonalities; a charming, heartwarming genuine quality and tangible pride on the children’s faces. Case also added an aspect she was particularly enamored with was the one can quickly gather that the children themselves "haven’t lost that excitement of being able to read." In fact, even turning and pointing to the pages still feels new for the video stars. That excitement is contagious and easily draws in the viewer, no matter what the age.
Case said she believes the FPCNS students were so "transfixed" by Sela because while she is a similar size to them, listening to her gives them a new perspective. As far as the experience of being part of the "birth" of Can I Read To You?, Case quickly and easily replied, “I am very proud to be part of this process.”
In developing the idea into a tangible product, Turkel sought the assistance of Dr. Michelle Albright to serve as the educational consultant for the new video series. Albright, a specialist in early childhood literacy and founder of Albright Educational Consulting LLC, explained the tangible benefits of the Can I Read To You? concept: fluency and expression are important motivators for children.
Albright points out that the children themselves represent a range of readers. Some of the younger ones are obviously actively working at reading and pointing fingers while the older children are more fluent. Albright said that representing this diversity is important to demonstrate as parents often struggle with "how do you teach children to read?" Parents and children alike easily connect with the varied "stages" of reading.
Adding to the value of the program is the high quality production in terms of its simplicity. There is no over stimulation. The background music and sound effects are not only appropriate, but add to the innocence of the reader.
As a psychologist, educator and a mother of two young children herself, Albright also is proud to be involved with Can I Read To You? The hope is that it will act as an impetus for parents and young children to have conversations about reading and literacy.
So Sela and the other young video stars, keep reading and inspiring. We can't wait to hear what you read to us next!
Click here to watch Sela read "Who Said Moo?"
