Pre-K teaching times, Vol. 7, Issue 3 (Oct. 2010)

Pre-K Teaching Times

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3

OCTOBER 2010

In This Issue
Opening and Closing Activities
Small Group Instruction
Vocabulary In The Community
Phonological Awareness
Pre-Writing
Large Group Literacy Everyday?
ClASS
Assessment
Training for Returning Teacher Assistants

Opening and Closing Activities
Opening and closing activities during circle time help provide a smooth transition from home to school to home. This time in the morning gives children and teachers a chance to share important information and set the tone for the day by using rhymes, songs, finger plays, rhythm instruments, stories, books, movement games, and relaxation activities. This is also a good opportunity to introduce new topics or materials and other changes in the environment. Closing activities should be more than a simple "review" of the day. Summarize the day's activities, review key information and go over any reminders for the next day. Children experience a sense of belonging to a group and practice communication skills as they express their thoughts, ideas, and feelings during circle time.
Below are two simple ways to spark children's attention during opening or closing activities.
Guessing Jar
The Guessing Jar is interesting anytime, but it can be used to align with a particular theme simply by varying the contents.
Put a number of objects in a jar and place the jar in a prominent place in the room. At circle time pass the jar around, and ask each child to guess how many objects are in it. Pour the contents of the jar on the floor, and count how many there are. Did anyone guess the correct number? Who thought there were more? Less?
Storyteller's Chair
Storytelling is an old tradition that should be fostered in children.
Decorate an adult chair using paint, glitter, ribbons, etc. Write "Storyteller's Chair" on it. Use a storyteller's hat, cape, magic wand, or other props to encourage children to participate in storytelling. Choose one child to sit in the chair and tell a story to the other children.

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Small Group Instruction
When it comes to small group instruction, one size does not fit all. While basic guidelines to follow in planning for small group instruction do exist, the number of groups, number of children in groups, and time allowed for groups will vary from day to day.
By definition small groups include from two to eight children. Small groups should not be static but should change frequently based on the developmental needs and skills of children. Children in the groups should be identified by name, initials, or symbols for independent and teacher-led groups. The length of a small group activity should vary with the age, interest, and attention span of the children.
The Georgia's Pre-K Content Standards should be used in planning small group instruction. Teachers should plan activities based on what they know or need to know about the children in their class. All small group activities, teacherfacilitated and independent activities, should be purposeful and include developmentally appropriate activities coded with Content Standards. Small group instruction should not include patterned projects (example: paper plate penguins).
Although it is not required that every child be in a teacher-facilitated small group every day, teachers should plan for each child every day. Children who are not in a teacher-directed group should not be told to just "go play." The independent activities should be specific tasks. Independent small group activities may be spread throughout the classroom into the learning areas. Examples of specific independent activities include setting the table in dramatic play to reinforce oneto-one correspondence; sorting and stacking unit blocks to reinforce math and physical motor development; and piecing together a floor puzzle to reinforce fine motor skills and group participation.
Small group activities are not required to end with a product but might include playing a game or reading and discussing a book. At the beginning of the year, many teachers find it helpful to print the set of Matrices Used in Training from the Child Assessment Program section of the Bright from the Start website. After using the matrices to assess students on these easily observed, predictable skills, small groups will naturally begin to develop from the children who do not exhibit these skills.
For further clarification on Small Group Instruction, access the FAQs for Small Groups in the section under Instructional Quality Guides at www.decal.ga.gov .
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Vocabulary In The Community
Below are quick ideas to make books for your classroom that will help your students become more aware of print as a source of information. Children love seeing these books in the library or learning centers. Before adding these child-made books to your classroom, "read" the books with your children during large group time. Teach them to use the books. Remember: pictures, along with print, are a must for Pre-K children!
Collect box fronts or labels from common products used by your families, e.g., cereals, pastas, pop tarts, toothpaste, laundry soap, etc. Write the name of the product under each label. Create a personal telephone book using photographs of classroom friends and teachers. Next to each picture, write the name and phone number of each member. This is a great book for the housekeeping area with a phone nearby. Your students will love "dialing" their neighbor for a quick chat! Collect symbols or logos of businesses in the community such as Wal-Mart, Target, CVS, Kroger, Publix, Starbucks, and Chick-fil-A. These can be found on sale flyers, internet ads, or in the store. Under each symbol or logo write the name of the store that the symbol represents.
An easy way to bind the books is to punch a hole in the corner of each "page," and use a round metal ring to keep the pages together.
Phonological Awareness
Phonological awareness refers to the ability to hear, discriminate, and manipulate the sounds of spoken language. It is different from alphabet knowledge and letter awareness. Research supports that a foundation of phonological awareness is necessary for children to succeed in early literacy instruction. Last month's issue of Pre-K Teaching Times focused on the skill of listening, the foundation of phonological awareness. This article provides activities that you can use in the classroom to help children develop their listening skills.
Same/different sound? Gather common items found in the classroom. Show two items that are the same and discuss how they look alike: (pencil, pencil; scissors, scissors; counting bear, counting bear). Then show children two items that are different and discuss how they look different: (pencil, block; puzzle, stuffed animal; book, cup). Children should be able to discriminate if objects are the same or different before being expected to discriminate if sounds are the same or different. Children need to understand the concept of same and different, and visual discrimination is a prerequisite to auditory discrimination. Encourage students to use the words same and different when describing objects or sounds.
(Continued on next page)
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Phonological Awareness (continued)
Identifying sounds: Begin by showing and naming various musical instruments, and let children use and learn the name of the instruments. Collect two of each instrument, and place one set of instruments in front of a barrier and the other set behind the barrier. Ask one student to choose and make a sound with an instrument; then you identify the sound by holding up the instrument the student used. Then you choose and make a sound with an instrument and ask the student to match the sound you teacher made. This is not a test to get the right answer but is an opportunity help students learn to recognize two different sounds. Encourage students to reproduce the sound they heard using the instrument on their side of the barrier. By playing this game, your students can see you identify the instrument they used to make the sound. Have fun with this activity and move from musical instruments that are very distinct to other types of sounds, such as a squeak toy, an ink pen with a click button, a bottle with rocks inside, etc. Encourage students to use the words same and different when talking about sounds.
Sound match: Materials: an even number of small bottles or containers such as film canisters. Create pairs of containers that contain the same materials so that the containers will sound the same once they are sealed. Ideas for materials to place inside the containers: a single small rock, sand, rice, cotton ball, plastic button, macaroni, etc. Make a photo of each item placed in the containers so that children can match the two bottles that sound the same to the picture of what they think is in the container. Place a colored dot on the back side of each picture and matching colored dots on the bottom of the two containers. These colored dots will enable children to confirm if they found the containers that sound alike and if they correctly identified the material inside the containers.
What do you hear? Each day, call attention to a sound heard inside or outside the classroom, e.g., an airplane, helicopter, dog barking, horn blowing, siren, someone walking up the hall in loud shoes, the sound of the air conditioning, a bird chirping, a clock ticking, etc.
Can you do it too? Play games with children that involve repetition of a series of sounds. For example: clap your hands three times and ask students to copy the sounds you make. In this case students should clap their hands three times. Tap a rhythm stick on the floor two times and wait for students to copy. Be creative and use a variety of sounds that children can repeat in sequence. Start with simple sounds and sequences, and then progress to more sounds and more difficult sequences, such as clap, clap, stomp.

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Pre-Writing
Children's ability to write emerges simultaneously with development of oral language. Just as children's language becomes more complex with development, so do their visual/written representations. Children also begin to understand at a very early age that print has meaning. So, as children observe adults writing, see meaningful print used in their environment, and participate in the reading of stories, the connection between language and print is strengthened. Children's earliest form of writing is reflected through pictures they draw or products created with various art materials. Children begin to experiment with drawing in an effort to communicate ideas and establish connection between oral language and the written word. Consider the following points as you begin to create an environment to support children in their pre-writing efforts:
Tables and chairs should be the right size for your children. Children should be able to place their feet flat on the floor and forearms should rest comfortably on the tabletop (at approximately elbow level). Feet should not dangle or swing. Make writing materials readily accessible to children throughout the classroom. Provide large and small notebooks, blank and lined paper, note pads, chalk boards, erase boards. Writing instruments should include pens, pencils, markers, chalk, crayons, colored pencils, etc. in various sizes. Create a writing center that houses a wealth of materials to encourage writing. Ideas can be found on the BftS website at http://decal.ga.gov/Prek/LanguageAndLiteracy.aspx Print labels reflecting picture/word on classroom materials; place children's names throughout the classroom; create a print-rich classroom including meaningful charts, stories, and posters which you refer to often. Model the writing process daily for children in large and small group situations. Modeling writing and encouraging children to use writing materials should be practiced with individual children throughout the day. Proudly display all forms of children's writing in the classroom.
When reading books, pause and discuss the pictures/text with the children. Conversations and activities before, during, and after reading help children develop rich language and a conceptual knowledge base. Talking about the book also strengthens vocabulary and verbal reasoning abilities to understand the messages conveyed through print.
For further information on developmental stages of emergent writing, visit: http://wwwstatic.kern.org/gems/calpin/StagesofW ritinghandout.pdf
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Large Group Literacy Everyday?
Because children learn to read and write by first watching others and then experimenting for themselves, a daily large group literacy activity is vitally important for Pre-K children. A daily opportunity to participate in a large group literacy activity provides children the chance to observe, join in, and respond to the reading and writing process. An easy way to incorporate a daily large group literacy activity is to involve the children in shared reading using a big book. Here's how to start.
Choose a big book with enlarged text containing one, or more, of the following characteristics:
Rhyme (ex., can/fan) Rhythm (ex., You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man.) Repetitive phrases (ex., I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your
house down.)
These characteristics make the text of a book predictable and easy to remember. Ensuring the book has large text allows the children to easily see the words and more clearly observe how books and language work as you demonstrate. Standard-sized picture books are great for simple read-aloud opportunities but are not well suited to allow children to see the text easily during shared reading.
Read the same big book to the children several days in a row. This will allow the class to become immersed in the pattern and predictability of the text. Make repeat readings a fun and dramatic event. Once children experience the text a few times, they can begin to predict, "share read," or join in on parts of the text with you and their peers. Watch upcoming editions of this newsletter for more ideas for incorporating daily large group literacy activities in your Pre-K day.
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CLASS

Georgia's Pre-K Program has begun implementing the CLASS observation tool in multiple classrooms across the state. The next classroom could be yours. This month we are spotlighting the last CLASS dimension, Regard for Student Perspective, included under the Emotional Support domain.

Regard for Student Perspective focuses on the degree to which teachers' interactions with students and classroom activities emphasize students' interests, motivations, and points of view. The indicators included in this dimension are:

Flexibility and Student Focus

Support for Autonomy and

Leadership

.

Student Expression

Restriction of Movement

Teachers do some of these things naturally in their classrooms. Allowing students opportunities to hold classroom jobs is a good example of Support for Autonomy and Leadership. Children take pride in knowing they

have the ability to do things own their own and become more independent. In turn, children's motivation and desire to learn will increase.
Teachers with a high regard for student perspectives are flexible and follow students' interests. They provide students with choices and allow time for childinitiated activities and learning.
In many classrooms, students have jobs; however, in classrooms with high regard for student perspectives, the students will take the lead and make the job their own. Children are also encouraged to mentor each other and are given freedom to move around in the classroom.
Continue to look for more exciting news about CLASS each month.
To learn more about CLASS, visit www.classobservation.com .

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Assessment
MT
It is time to review your portfolio content and matrices. Look through your students' portfolios and matrices and, using a pencil, rate the indicators for which you have supporting documentation on the GSU spreadsheet or developmental checklist.
Remember: you cannot check off an item on the developmental checklist unless you have documentation in the child's portfolio. You should also complete the IQ Assessment Guide through week six; sign it; and turn it in to your director for her/his signature.
Work Sampling Online is up and running! Many Pre-K teachers are being trained on the online format. If you have any problems using Work Sampling Online, e-mail PreKAssessment@decal.ga.gov .

Training for Returning Assistant Teachers

Returning assistant teachers can now register online for the 2010-2011

Georgia's Pre-K Program Returning Assistant Teachers Online Training.

In 2010-2011, it is MANDATORY for Returning Assistant Teachers to

complete one online course and three online podcasts: Phonological

Awareness Online Course (three hours); A Conversation

about Consequences podcast (one hour); Setting the Stage for Play podcast (one hour); and Writing Songs for your Classroom podcast (one hour).

Call the Pre-K Consultant on duty at 404-656-

.

These online courses and podcasts are accessible now and have associated course work that must be completed by a pre-assigned date with a score of 90% or above to

5957. Pre-K Consultant contact information can be

pass. If you are a Returning Assistant Teacher and have found on the

not yet registered for these mandatory courses, talk to

website at

your Project Director and visit the Bright from the Start

www.decal.ga.gov

website to register.

PRE-K TEACHING TIMES