What is the primary benefit of a teacher reading a storybook while pointing to the words?

The primary benefit of a teacher reading a storybook while pointing to the words is the development of awareness of left-to-right directionality. This practice is crucial for early readers as it teaches them the basic concept of how English text is organized. By visually following the teacher’s finger or pointer as it moves across the page, children learn to recognize that reading progresses from left to right. This understanding is foundational for developing reading fluency and promotes an awareness of how text flows, which is essential when they begin to read independently.

While other skills, such as recognizing letters or understanding spaces between words, are important aspects of literacy, the specific act of pointing while reading effectively emphasizes to students the left-to-right progression that is characteristic of reading in English. This helps them become more efficient readers as they begin to decode and comprehend text.