When interacting with children, you are serving as a:

When interacting with children, serving as a model is crucial because children learn a great deal through observation and imitation. By demonstrating behaviors, language, and social interactions, adults provide a reference point for young children. This modeling can encompass everything from how to properly pronounce words, to showing empathy and emotional expressions. It fundamentally supports early literacy by providing a rich context in which children can learn language skills, social norms, and cognitive development.

Modeling also involves interactions that promote exploration and communication. When adults model reading habits, such as pointing out words in a book or using expressive facial gestures, they enhance children's understanding of how language works and how stories are structured. Children take these cues and use them in their developing language and literacy skills.

In contrast, while being a teacher, listener, or coordinator each plays a role in a child's development, modeling specifically captures the essence of how children learn through imitation and observation, which is vital in the early years.