Transcript Early Literacy
Early Literacy
T/TAC at VCU
Goals for Today
We will provide an overview of the components of a quality early childhood program We will discuss the evidence-based research within the domains of language and literacy We will share developmentally appropriate practices and activities for the preschool classroom
“Excellence Makes the Difference”
Activity
Quality Early Childhood Programs
Environment Regular routine Parent/Teacher Communication Teaching methods Varied curriculum Language experiences Literacy experiences
Language Development
Receptive Language (Listening and Understanding) Children are:
attending to and understanding different forms of spoken language
progressing in understanding directions
understanding an increasingly complex and varied vocabulary
Expressive Language (Speaking and Communicating) Children are:
developing the ability to understand and use language to communicate
progressing in their ability to initiate and respond to conversation using complex and varied spoken vocabulary progressing in spoken clarity and length
Oral Language Written Language Receptive Expressive Listening Reading Speaking Writing
How Do You Assess Language?
Observations Anecdotal records Samples of children’s work Student responses and interactions
Classroom Activities
Listening to stories, poems, and expository text Telling and retelling stories and nursery rhymes Singing and chanting Making predictions Discussing text Discussing experiences and past events Specific instruction in language concepts
Literacy
Assessing Literacy
Phonological Awareness Screening (PALS) Observations Anecdotal records Samples of children’s work Student responses and interactions
Phonological awareness is…
Working with individual sounds in words, called phonemes. Understanding sounds work together to form words.
The research
Phonemic awareness success. and letter-sound knowledge account for more of the variation in early reading and spelling (National Reading Panel, 2000)
Studies show that a reader’s ability to remember, imitate, recall, manipulate, and articulate sounds is essential to early reading .
(NICHD)
The ability to process sounds that are heard (phonological processing) differentiates good readers from poor readers. It’s a predictor of future reading performance and achievement.
Preschoolers show a growing awareness of:
Rhyme Beginning sounds Ending sounds Separating sounds/syllables Associating sounds with written words
Guidelines for Phonological Awareness Activities Fun and developmentally appropriate Done in groups Encourage curiosity about language Address individual differences Provide useful information about students Include visual clues Yopp, 1992
Activities
Group activities Nursery Rhymes Literature Songs Software PALS web site
(http://pals.virginia.edu/Instructional-Resources/)
Print Awareness
Left to right, top to bottom, front to back Letters, words and spaces Functions of print Matching spoken and written words Print carries a message Illustrations carry meaning
How do we do this?
Classroom full of print Repeated readings of literature Predictable text patterns Poems and songs Environmental print Displaying children’s work
Book Knowledge and Appreciation
Recognizes favorite books Understands that books and other print resources are handled in specific ways Imitates the special language in books and story dialogue Enjoys listening to and discussing books read aloud Retells and acts out stories, makes predictions
To foster appreciation and book knowledge
Read storybooks to children Read informational books to children Create a print rich environment Reading related activities
Alphabet Letters and Sounds
Children begin to associate the names of letters with their shapes They begin to notice beginning letters in familiar words They make some letter/sound matches Students may begin to identify some of the letters of the alphabet
How do we do this?
Familiarize students with the names and shapes of letters Begin with letters in names Use letter/keyword/picture displays when introducing (Adams, 1990)
Early Writing
Begins to understand writing is a way to communicate Represents stories and experiences through pictures and dictation Experiments with a variety of writing tools and materials Progresses through developmental continuum
What to do?
Provide experiences for writing
Have a print rich environment
Include writing opportunities in play
Points to remember…
Young children develop vocabulary, extended language skills and knowledge of the world when given opportunities to interact with children and adults in language and print-rich environments.
Activities should be integrated across the different developmental areas. On-going assessment assists planning and evaluation.
For additional information please visit our website at: http://www.vcu.edu/ttac or participate in our online community at http://ttacoline.org