Just recently, the Scholastic Teachers Facebook team asked teachers, “What is the weirdest thing your students have brought in for show and tell?” Aside from the hysterical answers, I was baffled when some teachers commented that they were not allowed to have show and tell as part of their curriculum. Some teachers stated that their school views show and tell as a waste of valuable teaching time.

I personally believe that show and tell is an important part of pre-school and kindergarten. It sets the stage for children to become comfortable when speaking in public. When presenting show and tell, students are expected to talk about a variety of topics, organize their thoughts and convey main ideas, all of which are skills that I use as an adult in my job.

According to the Common Core State Standards, students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of speaking and listening skills for effective communication. So what better way for students to practice those skills than with show and tell? After all, show and tell helps students with planning their presentation, public speaking, using different types of vocabulary and descriptive language, and fielding questions from their classmates.

In addition, show and tell can be used as a great tool to help English Language Learners.  If an ELL student is able to explain something he/she is interested in or knows a lot about, it will help them become more comfortable practicing their vocabulary, pronunciation and other basic skills they need to succeed.

We want to hear from you. Do you think show and tell is an important part of early education? Why or why not? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

image via Kiddies Korner