********************************************************** Activities Using Digital Photos to Increase Oral Language and Vocabulary ********************************************************** Have kids dress up in the career center. Take a series of pictures (1st step, 2nd step, etc) showing how to do something. Assign pairs of students to go on a walk through the school to find examples of geometric shapes or items… Read More Activities with Digital Photos to Increase Oral Language and Vocabulary
eBooks Can Improve Phonological Awareness Skills, Alphabetic Knowledge, and Vocabulary
Research on the efficacy of digital books supporting literacy development for young children is overwhelmingly positive for children with and without disabilities. Electronic books can support literacy development in the areas of phonological awareness skills, alphabetic knowledge, and vocabulary development (Salmon, 2013). Research Even with the knowledge of benefits children derive from electronic books, the… Read More eBooks Can Improve Phonological Awareness Skills, Alphabetic Knowledge, and Vocabulary
TACtics for your Toolkit: Making Sense of a Curriculum Framework
A curriculum framework, however, represents a structure for classifying and organizing the many elements and processes involved in creating learning opportunities for young children. It serves as an underlying foundation from which all practices related to children’s learning and development are identified, implemented and evaluated. A curriculum, as many of us understand it, is… Read More TACtics for your Toolkit: Making Sense of a Curriculum Framework
For Future Reference: Writing Standards-Based IEPs in Preschool
Incorporating these standards into each child’s IEP poses new challenges for educators who are more accustomed to writing goals on basic developmental skills. However, standards-based IEPs become a necessity when we consider that a primary goal for early education is school readiness. In 2007, the Virginia Department of Education released the Foundation Blocks for… Read More For Future Reference: Writing Standards-Based IEPs in Preschool
Blending Best Practices to Benefit All ECSE Students
When planning activities and lessons, teachers must be clear about each activity’s learning objective for all the children and the IEP objective for individual children. The IEP objective will specify what modifications and adaptations are necessary in order for the student to participate fully in the learning objective. As the school year starts, many… Read More Blending Best Practices to Benefit All ECSE Students
Inquiring Minds Want to Know- Science in the Early Childhood Classroom
The science center should include developmentally appropriate games and materials from the categories of collections of natural objects, living things, nature/science books, games or toys, and nature/science activities. The ECERS-R also encourages teachers to use simple cooking and experiments at least once every two weeks. Childrens’ innate curiosity makes them the ideal ‘scientist’. Science… Read More Inquiring Minds Want to Know- Science in the Early Childhood Classroom
Literacy in the Early Childhood Classroom
Teachers can provide literacy experiences for children during every part of the day. For example, items that encourage writing can be incorporated into all centers. Children can make traffic signs in the block center, take orders or write recipes in the dramatic play center. Virginia’s Foundation Blocks for Early Learning (2007) describe specific indicators… Read More Literacy in the Early Childhood Classroom
