Embedding Language and Literacy in Child–Directed Activities

1. Embedding Language and Literacy in Child–Directed Activities Day 2

2. Outcomes • Review Dialogic Reading Assignments • Embedding language and literacy activities • in child-directed learning through play, story re-tell and interest areas

3. “The opposite of play is not work, it’s depression.”“Creativity is messy, learning is noisy, and play is serious business.”

6. Story Retelling • Research tells us… • In story retell - acting is more effective than drawing or writing at the preschool age level • Small group size is more effective for story retelling than large group or one to one reading experiences • Relating the story to child interest and prior knowledge makes for teacher success in story retell • Using visual aids, prompts, open-ended questions, reviewing and re-reading stories

7. Resources • Use props • Make clothesline story props • Offer picture props • Use costumes and dramatic play props • Collect puppets • Cateheroman/story-retelling-props Pinterest • Lending Library – AEA • I pad, smart boards, e books, playaways

8. Scaffold story retelling • I do… You watch • I do… You help • You do… I help • You do… I watch

9. The Teacher’s Role in Promoting Vocabulary and Language Development • Serve as a good language model • Give children interesting firsthand experiences to talk about • Repeat and reinforce new words • Observe, wait, and listen • Talk with children frequently • Encourage conversations that go beyond the here-and-now • Use open-ended questions and prompts • Read to children daily and talk about the story before, during, and after reading • Enjoy songs, rhymes, and fingerplays together throughout the day • Play language games and provide language materials • Offer models so children can hear their home languages • Share informational books that relate to the children’s particular interests

10. The Creative Curriculum Framework How Children Develop and Learn The Learning Enviornment Blocks Dramatic Play Toys & Games Art Library Discovery Sand & Water Music & Movement Cooking Computers Outdoors What Children Learn The Family's Role The Teacher's Role Research and Theory

11. Blocks

12. Handout GOLD Objectives Occurring in the Block Area

13. Creating an Environment for Block Play Selecting Materials Displaying Blocks and Props Cleanup--A Special Challenge

14. Props and Accessories ▪ Dollhouse with furniture ▪ Multi-ethnic wooden figures ▪ Traffic signs, gas pumps ▪ Telephone wire ▪ Paper towel rolls ▪ Thin pieces of rubber tubing ▪ Paper, markers, and scissors ▪ Popsicle sticks ▪ Hats ▪ Tiles, linoleum squares, rugs ▪ Pulleys and string ▪ Toy carpentry tools ▪ Vinyl rain gutters ▪ Books, magazines, etc. with pictures of buildings, roads and bridges ▪ Floor map of city ▪ Castle blocks ▪ Shells and pebbles ▪ Cardboard boxes/shoeboxes ▪ Play money ▪ Large fabric scraps ▪ Logos from local businesses ▪ Driftwood or small logs ▪ Styrofoam or cardboard packaging materials ▪ Old blueprints

15. Materials to encourage literacy skills • Books and pictures about construction, buildings, workers, tools, construction and emergency vehicles, architecture, repairs, roads, bridges • Advertisements for construction materials and tools • Blueprints • Floor plans • Graph paper • Logos of local businesses and familiar products • Memo pads • Newspapers • Repair manuals • Traffic signs

16. Blocks and props are all neatly arranged so children can easily find what they need and return them. Tape on the floor defines a “no-building zone” near the shelf which prevents children from building where their constructions might be knocked over by other builders who are taking blocks off the shelf or returning them.

17. Location Away from line of traffic Ample space Preferably in a corner Near other noisy areas Defined by shelves Set up Smooth flat carpet Three shelves—two for blocks and one for props Suggested Materials Unit blocks (390 pcs.) Road signs Hollow blocks (48 pcs.) Small vehicles People props Train set Animal props Construction Books

18. Unit Blocks

19. Hollow Blocks

20. Other Types of Blocks and Construction Materials Brick cardboard blocks Foam blocks Large plastic blocks PVC pipes

22. Block Area Clean-Up Suggestions ▪ Give children a 5-minute warning ▪ Allow extra time ▪ Let children continue working if they are truly engrossed ▪ Help children get started ▪ Make clean-up into a game

23. ▪ Give each child a “ticket” with a block shape on it. Children put away all blocks that match that shape. ▪ Tell children, “Bring all the blocks to me that look like this one.” As they bring all blocks of one shape, show them where on the shelf the shape belongs by having them compare the shape to the labels. ▪ Declare a number for the day: “Today we’ll clean up the blocks by threes.” Each child then collects three blocks at a time and puts them away.

24. What Children Learn in the Block Area Social/Emotional Physical Language Cognitive Literacy Mathematics Science and Technology Social Studies The Arts English Language Acquisition

25. Handout Helping Children Learn in the Block Area

26. The Teacher’s Role Observing and Responding to Individual Children

27. Stages of Block Play Stage 1: Carrying Blocks ▪ Carry them ▪Pile them in trucks ▪Learn their properties ▪Gain an understanding of what they can do

28. Stages of Block Play Stage 2: Piling Blocks and Making Roads ▪ Continue to explore ▪Make towers ▪Begin to creatively represent ▪Begin by making roads, then start connecting roads and towers

29. Stages of Block Play Stage 3: Connecting Blocks to Create Structures ▪ Bridge ▪Making enclosures ▪Designs

30. Stages of Block Play Stage 4: Making Elaborate Constructions ▪ Build with dexterity and skill ▪Build above, around or over obstacles ▪Artistic and complex structures ▪Need a variety and large quantity of blocks ▪Constructions are a setting for dramatic play

31. The Teacher’s Role Observing and Responding to Individual Children Interacting With Children in the Block Area

32. What do you say to a child who makes this structure?

33. What do you say to a child who makes this structure? “That’s nice.” or “Good job.”

34. What do you say to a child who makes this structure? “That’s nice.” or “Good job.” Says nothing about what the child did Doesn’t give the child a chance to talk to you about what they did. Implies that the goal is to make something you think is nice.

35. What do you say to a child who makes this structure? “All the blocks in your road are the same size.” or “You made a little curve with the blocks.”

36. What do you say to a child who makes this structure? “All the blocks in your road are the same size.” or “You made a little curve with the blocks.” Describes what the child did. Gives the child a chance to talk about what they have done. Validates the importance of the child’s work. Builds child’s vocabulary and knowledge in the content areas.

37. What would you say to a child who made this structure if you wanted to Describes what the child did. Gives the child a chance to talk about what they have done. Validates the importance of the child’s work. Builds child’s vocabulary and knowledge in the content areas.

38. What would you say to a child who made this structure if you wanted to Describes what the child did. Gives the child a chance to talk about what they have done. Validates the importance of the child’s work. Builds child’s vocabulary and knowledge in the content areas. “You used five blocks. You made the whole building with just five blocks.” “I see you use one block that is longer than the other.” “Look, your blocks make a space in the middle.” “All your blocks are rectangles, but they’re not all the same size.” “All of your blocks except one are touching.”

39. Handout What Would You Say?

41. Suggested Books • Build it from A to Z • Building a House • Buildings, buildings, buildings • Changes, changes • The Three Pigs • The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs • Los trespequenosjabalies/The Three Little Javelinas • House Sweet House

42. Ways to Support Children Get down on the floor Help the child solve a problem Display and discuss pictures Add new accessories Ask questions

43. The Teacher’s Role Observing and Responding to Individual Children Interacting With Children in the Block Area Frequently Asked Questions About Blocks

44. QUESTIONS ABOUT BLOCK PLAY 1. Some children never use the blocks. What should I do? 2. Should I allow children to bring materials from other areas (e.g., table blocks, telephones, hats, pinecones) into the Block Area? 3. Children don’t want to spend time building because they know they have to take it down at clean-up time. What should I do? 4. How high should children be allowed to build? 5. Should I intervene when children use blocks as guns? Pages 267-268/260-261

45. Pages 269/262 A Letter to Families About Block Play Read silently. Tell your table partners how this might be helpful.

46. There are many ways to content, teaching and learning outdoors. Outdoor play is essential for children’s health and well-being.

47. Computers, I Pads and Technology Software – level of child involvement