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LONGMAN Dictionary: Child friendly definitions

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LONGMAN Dictionary: Child friendly definitions

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Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English | LDOCE

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Longman English Dictionary - the leading dictionary for learners of English of all levels: definitions, idioms, examples and more.

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How to create a print-rich early care and education environment.

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How to create a print-rich early care and education environment.

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Labels and print everywhere in a playful intentional manner.

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Consider these straightforward ideas for setting up a literacy-friendly environment for pre-K learners.

Language and literacy skills in preschool and kindergarten are a strong predictor of children's academic achievement in all subject areas through high school. In light of this, many preschool teachers feel compelled to provide rote, direct instruction to explicitly teach alphabet knowledge and phonics. Contrary to this inclination, theories of child development suggest that children are concrete learners and retain information best when it is grounded in their existing knowledge (e.g., constructivism). Teachers can support this by offering real and meaningful experiences that help children connect new learning to what they already know.

The good news for preschool teachers is that such experiences don't necessarily require hours of planning and carefully crafted lessons. Preschool classrooms can be filled with literacy-rich materials and opportunities for teachers to facilitate meaningful, contextualized learning throughout children's day.

Here are five ways that preschool teachers can create a literacy-rich environment that encourages children's natural curiosity and meaningfully promotes emergent reading and writing skills.

An environment for literacy

1. Label children's personal items and spaces with their photos and names: Preschoolers first begin to identify the letters in their own names, followed by their friends' names. Add labels with children's photos and their names to cubbies, coat hooks, seats, place mats, classroom jobs, or any other individual items you may have in your classroom.

When it is time to put things away, encourage children to find their own name. This not only encourages valuable self-help skills but also helps them begin to identify their names in print. Occasionally, you can also ask children to help a friend put away their items too. For example, "Sally left her water bottle on the table. Can you put it in her cubby?"

When children are ready, remove the photo support and continue with only written names. Ask questions like "How do you know that's Sally's cubby?" to guide them toward letter identification in the context of their friends' names.

2. Label classroom materials with both pictures and words: Environmental print in the classroom serves multiple purposes. First, photos of materials with word labels on baskets, bins, and shelves help children easily find materials and know exactly where those materials belong when they're cleaning up. They also allow children to see that print has a purpose and that groups of printed letters represent words.

Finally, with adult support, children can begin to associate beginning letters with sounds, using the pictures of familiar classroom materials as a reference. As children are cleaning up, try asking, "What goes in this basket?" and "How do you know?" Encourage them to "read" the label using the pictures and the words.

3. Add books to every learning center or interest area: Books don't have to be limited only to your classroom library. Adding a basket of topic-related books to each interest area helps children develop an understanding between print and its purpose.

Community helpers, different types of families, and cookbooks in the dramatic play center

Buildings, construction, and maps or atlases in the block area

Books showcasing famous artists or featuring colors and shapes in the art center

Counting, numbers, sorting, and patterns in the math center

Critters, nature, and creating with loose parts in the science center

Mentor texts in the writing center (like A Squiggly Story, by Andrew Larsen)

Educator Kristin Rydholm provides some great lists of picture books related to dramatic play, blocks, math, and makerspaces. Here are some relevant topics for books for interest center libraries.

4. Offer writing materials in every learning center or interest area: Preschool teachers often have a writing center available in their classroom, but why limit writing to just one space? Adults use writing all the time-from writing out birthday cards to jotting down grocery lists and sticky note reminders, writing is all around us. Young children, who learn best through meaningful and contextualized experiences, should also have opportunities to practice writing for a variety of purposes. Though a well-crafted writing center is important, offer writing materials in every area of the classroom.

Taking restaurant orders, making price tags, and more in the dramatic play center

Drafting architectural plans and labeling buildings in the block center

Recording observations of a science experiment in the science center

The National Association for the Education of Young Children provides tips for strategically placing writing materials throughout the room and connecting emergent writing experiences to topics of interest. Other opportunities for emergent writing practice throughout the classroom may include the following:

5. Create resource rings with relevant vocabulary words: With intentional and continued exposure, young children can build the rich and expansive vocabulary they need for later reading development. As your class explores new topics of interest throughout the year, be intentional about exposing children to new vocabulary words.

Create resource rings with topic-related vocabulary words and picture cues to add to a designated area of the classroom; some teachers may prefer to place these in the writing center. Add a hole punch to each card, and group topic-related word cards on a single binder ring. These school-related vocabulary cards by Karen Cox are a great example. As children are discussing topics of study with their friends, or writing/drawing about their learning, direct them to the resource rings as a tool for remembering and/or writing vocabulary words.

Preschool language and literacy skills are critical for children's long-term school success, but teachers shouldn't feel pressured to spend hours planning for direct instruction. Much of children's early language and literacy learning will occur organically in a literacy-rich preschool classroom. By embedding language and literacy materials throughout the classroom with special attention to each interest area, teachers can encourage literacy development in ways that are engaging, contextualized, and driven by each child's interest.

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5 Ways to Create a Literacy-Rich Preschool Classroom

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Here are some simple, engaging strategies for setting up your preschool classroom to foster literacy skills.

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Opportunities to talk, tell stories, read storybooks help children be successful in learning to read and write.

Reading is one of the most important ways to expose children to language and develop a love of reading. Ensure that books are in or near every center in the classroom to support content and easy access to reading.

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Lexia® LETRS® Professional Learning (Pre-K-5)

Deepen your understanding of the science behind teaching literacy.

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Lexia Learning Systems https://www.lexialearning.com/Assets/img/logo.svg 1984 978-405-6232 info@lexialearning.com 300 Baker Avenue, Suite 320 Concord MA 01742 USA

Lexia ® LETRS ® Professional Learning

The Lexia LETRS® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) Suite is comprehensive professional learning designed to provide early childhood and elementary educators and administrators with deep knowledge to be literacy and language experts in the science of reading. Developed by Dr. Louisa Moats and leaders in the field of literacy, Lexia LETRS teaches the skills needed to master the foundational and fundamentals of reading and writing instruction-phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and written language.
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Why LETRS?

Research shows that only 35% of students are reading proficiently, but 95% of students CAN learn to read. And while teachers are the most essential factor in student success, only about half of teaching institutions effectively prepare teachers for literacy instruction. Teaching reading requires a deep understanding of the processes and science behind it. LETRS is the professional learning program rooted in the science of reading that empowers teachers.

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LETRS®

Lexia LETRS provides a professional learning course of study based in the science of reading for elementary educators. The course teaches the how, what, and why of literacy acquisition to improve instructional practice and achieve long-term systemic change in literacy instruction.

LETRS for elementary educators is an investment in teachers' literacy knowledge and professional practice. Teachers gain essential knowledge and skills to master the fundamentals of literacy instruction required to apply and transform student learning.

LETRS® for Early Childhood Educators

LETRS® For Early Childhood Educators professional learning provides deep knowledge of literacy instruction for the youngest learners. The more children know about language and literacy before they begin kindergarten and first grade, the better equipped they are to succeed in literacy learning and beyond.

LETRS® for Administrators

Lexia LETRS® for Administrators is a professional development course designed specifically for school leadership, coaches, principals, and district administrators. The course defines the systems and infrastructures required to successfully implement a literacy initiative aligned to scientifically based research. Built from the research in implementation science and sustainability, school improvement, and shared leadership, the course provides numerous tools-including an analysis of the current systems required for improved literacy outcomes-for guiding an implementation through various stages.

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Engaged Students

Lexia LETRS provides a professional learning course of study based in the science of reading for elementary educators which teaches the how, what, and why of literacy acquisition to improve instructional practice and impact long-term systemic change in literacy instruction. The more children know about language and literacy before they begin kindergarten and first grade, the better equipped they are to succeed in literacy learning and beyond.

Empowered Educators

Many educators and education leaders are not well prepared to teach reading, or lead those who teach reading. The Lexia LETRS Suite provides science of reading-based professional learning through three different courses of study designed for elementary educators, education leaders, and early childhood educators. Each course of study teaches the how, what, and why of literacy acquisition to educators to improve literacy instruction and positively impact long-term systemic change in literacy outcomes.

Why even trained teachers need support:

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Improved Outcomes

Lexia LETRS empowers educators by going beyond the essential components of literacy. Lexia LETRS gives teachers the skills they need to master how to teach the five essential components of literacy, plus writing, spelling, and oral language.

Lexia LETRS includes five essential elements for literacy success:

Science of reading based

Teaches the content of explicit instruction

Converts research to practice

Enhances educator and leader effectiveness

Transforms instruction

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Professional Learning for Educators Grades Pre-K-5 | Lexia

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Charles Hulme, former Professor of Psychology and Education in the Department of Education and William Golding Senior Research Fellow at Brasenose College. His work on reading development has made important contributions to understanding the role of phonological skills in learning to read. He has also explored the role of wider language skills (particularly vocabulary knowledge and grammatical skills) as influences on the development of reading comprehension.

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Esposito, R., Lervag, A., & Hulme, C. (2024). Oral language intervention in the late primary school years is effective: evidence from a randomised control trial. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines.

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Hand puppets or finger puppets foster creativity, language skills, social-emotional growth, and fine motor skills. They provide a safe space for children to explore emotions, develop communication skills, and enhance their imagination.

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Phones of any kind allow children to mimic adult behavior and engage in pretend play scenarios, such as calling a family member, ordering food, or playing doctor. This type of play helps them develop oral language skills, social skills, understand social norms, and process their own experiences.

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Dress-up clothes and materials set children up to learn new vocabulary and practice using language to express themselves, communicate ideas, and interact with others during pretend play. These materials allow children to step outside their everyday reality and explore different characters, scenarios, and worlds, fostering creativity and imagination. Dress-up play helps children understand different perspectives, practice empathy, and learn to cooperate and negotiate with others.

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Using small dolls and related materials provide a platform for children to create stories, explore different scenarios, and express their creativity. Playing with dolls often involves storytelling and conversations, which helps expand vocabulary, improve sentence structure, and enhance communication skills. Children learn to interact with others, understand different perspectives, and develop empathy by role-playing with dolls and their dollhouses.

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Lifelike dolls and realistic furniture enhances creativity, language skills, problem-solving abilities, and a child's understanding of social roles.

It allows children to engage in pretend play, mimicking everyday situations and developing their imaginations.

Children can act out scenarios they observe in their own lives, such as caring for a baby, having a tea party, or going to the grocery store.

Playing with dolls, especially those representing different ethnicities or characteristics, helps children develop empathy and social awareness.

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Games like Simon Says encourage children to focus on specific instructions and pay attention to details, as they need to listen carefully to the commands. While we may not play the game according to traditional rules in which children are deemed "out" when they do not follow rules, the game still reinforces the ability to understand and follow multi-step instructions, a crucial cognitive skill. This game stimulates critical thinking as children process information and make decisions based on the commands.

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Greeter: This Greeter uses the greeting apron to allow her friends to choose a greeting. This encourages oral language and reciprocal communication.

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Set up bins with partner activities for times when you want to encourage reciprocal interactions. Use them upon arrival or before dismissal, small groups, or during naptime for children who wake up first.

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Introduce vocabulary that a child can relate to from their own environment by playing "I Spy".

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Create bingo cards with pictures or words related to a theme and call out the items.

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Hide vocabulary word cards around the room and use a flashlight to find them, saying the word when found.

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Use sand, shaving cream, flour, salt or other materials to practice writing letters and words.

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Take classroom photos. In small groups ask children to describe what is happening in the photo. Chart responses and ask questions to add description words. Create a classroom photo book or bulletin board. This activity encourages oral language, vocabulary, descriptive words, and speech skills.

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Rebus poems/recipes/activities are beneficial in preschool because they are helpful when learning to read and write. Children make connections between pictures, words, and sounds with rebus print.

This supports early literacy development by making reading more accessible and engaging, fostering phonemic awareness, and building vocabulary.

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Encourage children to describe their toys using descriptive words, focusing on size, color, shape, and texture.

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Use pointers to point to letters or words.

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Use pointers to point to letters or words.

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Using a pointer during real alouds helps preschoolers with the following skills:

Print Awareness: Understanding that the printed words carry the meaning of the story and that reading progresses from left to right and top to bottom.

Word Recognition: By following along with a pointer, children can start to associate spoken words with written words, a crucial step in early literacy development.

Building Vocabulary: As you point to new words, you can discuss their meaning and context, expanding the child's vocabulary.

Comprehension: Pointers can help children make connections between the words and the illustrations, leading to better comprehension of the story.

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Expose children to new environments and vocabulary related to animals, plants, or historical artifacts, food, textures, etc.

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Add samples of writing that include vocabulary and ideas that relate to classroom discussions. Model and support writing skills in large group, small group, and individual activities. Writing activities expose children to new letters and words, which can expand their vocabulary and improve their overall language development. In addition to increaseing fine motor skills, children learn that writing is a meaningful way to communicate information, share ideas, and connect with others.

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Opportunities to draw and write help children to succeed in learning to read and write later in school.

Writing activities stimulate brain development and help children develop phonological awareness and alphabet knowledge and is one of the early literacy skills essential for effective communication and understanding the world around them.

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Some form of show and tell can provide opportunities to use language modeling techniques, and develop descriptive language skills as well as self-regulation. Writing down what a child is saying so thaey can see the words in written form.

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Encourages problem solving and oral language with peers.

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Can be homemade with pvc pipes. They work by amplifying the user's voice, allowing them to hear themselves more clearly and focus on the sounds they are making to help children improve their pronunciation, fluency, and phonological awareness.

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Who doesn't want to talk into a microphone?

Toy microphones can encourage children to articulate their thoughts and feelings more clearly as they mimic voices or sing songs. Exposure to clear speech through the use of real microphones to amplify sounds for a child can introduce new words and phrases, expanding children's vocabulary.

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Who Took the Cookie From the Cookie Jar?

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Who Took the Cookie From the Cookie Jar?

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Read the book and then teach the game! Support children to be able to play the game, and then use it in many different ways. You can use food cards to play. (Someone would always need to get the cookie card.) You could play with a variety of food cards to begin with, them move to healthy foods, vegetables, fruits and so on.

It encourages participation and interaction, fostering a sense of community.

The call-and-response pattern helps develop listening and speaking skills.

The game can be used to teach about taking turns, cooperation, and social interaction.

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Sound walks encourage children to actively listen and discern different sounds, improving their ability to focus on auditory information. Children learn to differentiate between various sounds, such as high and low pitches, loud and soft noises, and different sound qualities, which is crucial for language and music development.

By identifying and describing sounds, children can expand their vocabulary related to sounds and their sources. By focusing on auditory input, children can develop a stronger connection between their senses and their environment and possibly reduce stress and anxiety.

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Sound games beneficial for children as they enhance crucial auditory processing skills, which are fundamental for language development, reading, and overall communication. These games help children distinguish between different sounds, which is essential for understanding spoken language, learning to read, and developing phonemic awareness.

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In the game red light, green light children must pay close attention to the "Red Light" and "Green Light" commands to know when to stop and go. It encourages quick responses to the verbal cues, improving reaction time and decision-making skills.

Concentrating on the commands and the actions of others helps children develop their ability to focus and sustain attention. Stopping immediately on "Red Light" helps children learn to learn self-regulation and safety skills.

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To the tune of "Sally Wore a Red Dress, Red Dress, Red Dress, Sally Wore a Red Dress All Day Long", we replaced "Sally" with the name of a child and then two words they wanted to sing about their outfit that day. For example: Veda wore her green boots, Joon wore his blue socks, Jamika wore her unicorn shirt, Jose wore his fast shoes, Patrice ore her rainbow skirt, etc. The child we were singing about could dance or move about while we were singing about them. Great transition song.

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In the Freeze Game, preschoolers need to listen attentively to the music and your instructions to know when to freeze and when to move. This helps them practice following directions and paying attention to auditory cues in addition to developing coordination, balance, and control.

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Can You Dance And Stop? | Songs from Caitie's Classroom | Music Freeze Game!

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Riddles such as those shown in the video link, are one way to practice vocabulary, critical thinking skills, and language comprehension.

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Can You Guess the Animal? | Fun Animal Riddles for Kids!

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Raffi never goes out of style! This rhyming song is perfect for transitions. The song's core activity involves substituting the first sound of a child's name with a "W" sound, which helps children isolate and manipulate individual sounds within words. Singing the song with children's names allows them to hear their own names in a fun and memorable way, helping them to learn and recognize their names and those of their classmates as they come to the carpet or leave to go wash hands. This is a crucial pre-reading skill that helps children understand how sounds make up words. The substitution creates a rhyming pair, like "Willoughby Wallaby Woo, an elephant sat on you," reinforcing the concept of rhyming words and their similar sounds

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While this song can be done many ways, these sisters show you how they like to sing it. You could use "clap it, tap it, snap it", but ultimately you are practicing great phonological awareness skills by segmenting the sounds in a child's most important word (their name).

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Hickety Pickety Bumblebee | Sethia Sisters

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Choose simple nursery rhymes such as "Little Miss Muffet", "Mary Had a Little Lamb", "Little Boy Blue", "Row Row Row Your Boat", "I'm a Little Teapot", "Jack and Jill", "Humpty Dumpty" to act out using simple classroom or created props.

Oral Language Skills: Acting out rhymes encourages children to speak the words, developing their mouth and tongue muscles, and improving articulation and enunciation.

Vocabulary Expansion: Rhymes introduce new words in a fun, contextualized way that helps children remember them. For example, words like "diddle," "fiddle," and "moon" in "Hey Diddle Diddle" might be new vocabulary.

Phonological Awareness: The rhythmic and rhyming patterns help children hear the sounds and syllables in words, crucial for early reading and writing skills.

Listening Comprehension: Acting out necessitates paying close attention to the rhyme's words and actions, enhancing listening comprehension.

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Children learn to express their ideas, listen to their partner's suggestions, and find ways to compromise, improving their communication abilities. Partner art projects require children to negotiate, share ideas, and work towards a common goal, developing essential teamwork skills. Working with a partner exposes children to different viewpoints and artistic styles, fostering empathy and understanding and provides a safe and non-judgmental space for children to express a range of emotions, helping them develop emotional intelligence and resilience. Art activities can incorporate other fields of learning like science, math, and engineering, deepening children's understanding of various subjects and fostering interdisciplinary thinking.

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Speaking like a robot can be a fun and effective way to segment words. Model speaking slowly and distinctly, pausing slightly between each sound or syllable. For example, you could say "c-a-t" for "cat" or "ba-sket-ball" for "basketball"This technique helps isolate the individual sounds, or phonemes within a word, which is a crucial skill for phonemic awareness. Start with simple words and gradually increase the complexity as children become more comfortable with the concept. We-are-go-ing-to-the-li-bra-ry-to-day!

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Label charts that manage classroom such as who is here today, who has used the bathroom, who has eaten snack.

Label shelves

Label containers

Label cubbies

Label mats

Label spots on carpet or seats

Label pictures around the room with letters and words.

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Alliteration involves using words with the same beginning sound in close proximity, like "silly snakes slither silently". Alliteration activities help children identify and differentiate between sounds, a crucial skill for reading readiness.

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Apples & Bananas | Silly Song For Kids | Super Simple Songs

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Use a slow, exaggerated way of saying words, like a snail (e.g., /fffffffllllaaaag/ for "flag").

Show a picture card and have the child guess the word by listening to your "Snail Talk".

This helps children focus on the individual sounds and then blend them together.

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Provide Elkonin boxes, which are typically three boxes representing the sounds in a word.

Say a word, like "dog".

Write the letters for dog in the boxes. Have the child place a token or touch each box for each sound (/d/ /o/ /g/).

Then, slide a finger or token across the boxes to blend the sounds.

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Books that encourage phonological awareness.

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Books that encourage phonological awareness.

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All About Arthur (An Absolutely Absurd Ape)

o Alphabears

o Animalia

o Billy Bloo is Stuck in Goo

o Buzz Said the Bee

o Catch a Little Fox

o Families, Families, Families

o A Giraffe and a Half

o The Hungry Thing

o Jamberry

o Old MacDonald Had a Dragon

o Pete the Cat and the Perfect Pizza

o Pigs in Pajamas

o See You Later Alligator

o Sheep in a Jeep

o Silly Sally

o Some Smug Slug

o There’s a Rumble in the Jungle

o There’s a Wocket in My Pocket

o The Worrywarts

o Yours Till Banana Splits

o Zoophabets

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Pete the Cat and the Perfect Pizza Party

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Practice alliteration with song and movement.

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Playful Literacy Rich Early Childhood Environments

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Playful Literacy Rich Early Childhood Environments

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Check out the information and the links to set up your room now to increase positive outcomes later!

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Creating a Playful, Literacy-Rich Preschool Environment

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Early literacy includes a number of key areas, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Fostering literacy in the earliest years helps children learn to read and write in their later schooling. Research highlights the impact of activities such as reading aloud, rhyming, singing, and talking with young children—beginning from birth—on literacy and language learning in childhood and beyond (Sinclair et al. 2019; Lawson-Adams, Dickinson, & Donner 2022). Further, research shows that play supports early literacy development (Nicolopoulou et al. 2015).

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Little Mouse, Little Mouse, Are You Hiding Behind the ___ House?

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Little Mouse, Little Mouse, Are You Hiding Behind the ___ House?

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Practice labeling colors, sizes, or shapes with this rhyme about houses! Hide the mouse behind one of the houses. Use the rhyme and ask children to guess which house the mouse is hiding behind.

huge, large, medium, small, tiny house

triangle, square, rectangle, circle, diamond house

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Little Mouse, Little Mouse, Are You In the Red House?

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Looking for a variety of version? Check out this link!

The repetitive phrases and rhyming patterns in the "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" song or story help preschoolers learn new vocabulary, improve their listening skills, and practice language sequencing. Acting out the story, like stomping through "swishy swashy" grass or wading through "splashy, sploshy" water, encourages gross motor skills and movement. Collaborative play, whether in a classroom setting or with family, helps preschoolers develop social skills like turn-taking, cooperation, and communication.

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Do you love Going on a Bear Hunt?? Well this playlist features all different versions of this fan favorite all in one place! Get ready to move your body whil…

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Place objects related to a topic in a box, any box. You may want to show them at first or not depending on the verbal level of the student.

A child chooses an item and describes the item for the others to guess or to guess themselves.

You might choose to use objects related to a book or a theme. You are building vocabulary, memory and communication skills.

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Play the memory match game to practice cognitive skills, improve visual recognition, and support language development. It also helps strengthen short-term memory, concentration, and attention to detail, while also fostering pattern recognition and problem-solving abilities.

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Listening centers expose children to a variety of texts, including stories, songs, and rhymes, which helps them develop a strong foundation for reading comprehension. Repeated listening to stories also expands their vocabulary and improves their ability to understand spoken language.

Hearing stories read aloud models correct pronunciation and intonation, helping children learn new words and phrases. This is particularly beneficial for English Language Learners or children with speech and language delays.

Listening centers encourage active listening, which is a crucial cognitive skill. Children learn to focus, follow directions, and process information, all of which contribute to their overall cognitive development.

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Hip, Hip, Horray, ___ used a new word today!

Collect new vocabulary cards with photos to use throughout the day, week or month in drawing, writing, center play, in games, and with related shared reading. Refer back to them later as the year continues.

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These are just a few books that can be used to target vocabulary in preschool:

Andy and his Yellow Frisbee

The Boy Who Didn't Want to Be Sad

Bread, Bread, Bread

Chickens Aren't the Only Ones

Edward the Emu

Exactly the Opposite

Fish Wish

Freight Train

From Head to Toe

From Seed to Plant

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse

My Granny's Purse

Planting a Rainbow

Russ and the Firehouse

Signs for Me: Basic Sign Vocabulary for Children, Parents, and Teachers

This is the House That Jack Built

Tortilla Factory

Trucks

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Wheels

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This version of "I Met a Bear" is preschool friendly and encourages listening and speaking. They strengthen the connection between auditory processing and verbal response through repetition and rhythm and provide a low-pressure way for learners of all ages to practice and internalize language patterns, including vocabulary, pronunciation, and intonation.

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I Met a Bear - Fun Song for Kids - Rock 'N Learn

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©2022 Voyager Sopris Learning, Inc. 

Permission granted to LETRS Presenters.

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AaBbCc Eye Chart from LETRS (Adapted from Paulson et al., 2001 Building Early Literacy and Language Skills.)

The letter font was specifically chosen to be close to simple letters for students to have fluency in learning.

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What goes together by Pam Schiller

Sung to the tune of "Itsy Bitsy Spider"

What goes together?

A button and a coat.

What goes together?

Grass and a goat.

What goes together?

A dog and a flea.

Putting things together,

Good friends like you and me.

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Holdaway, D. (1979). The Foundations of Literacy — one of the original works introducing Shared Reading, emphasizing reading together with support.

Fountas, I. C., & Pinnell, G. S. (1996/2017). Guided Reading / Literacy Continuum — describe Shared Reading as a collaborative, supportive reading of enlarged text to model fluency and comprehension.

International Literacy Association (ILA) and Reading Rockets — define it as an interactive reading experience where teachers and children read a text together, making reading accessible and enjoyable while modeling fluent strategies.

“The interactions that occur between an adult and a student as they look at and read a book together.” (Exell & Justice, 2005)

“Shared book reading is an activity during which an adult reads a book with children and engages them in conversation about the story (e.g., Gámez et al., 2017; Milburn et al., 2014). In most early childhood classrooms, shared book reading is part of the daily routine.”

“Shared reading is an evidence-based instructional approach. The focus during shared reading is on the interaction and meaning making that occurs when a child and adult look at or read a book together. Shared reading would benefit any emergent reader, regardless of their age, and can be done individually or in small groups.” Literacy for All

“During shared reading, you and your students read aloud an enlarged version of an engaging text that provides opportunities for your students to expand their reading competencies. The goals of the first reading are to ensure that students enjoy the text and think about the meaning. After the first reading, students take part in multiple, subsequent readings to notice more about the text. They discuss the text, and you select teaching points based on their needs.” Fountas and Pinnell, February 1, 2019

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Centers in early childhood classrooms are designated, play-based learning areas organizaed around specific educational themes or concepts, providing hands-on materials for children to explore and practice skills alongside or with peers as partners. Common centers include block center, dramatic play, art, literacy, math, science, and sensory centers, which foster skill development, creativity, and social-emotional growth.

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Podcast on Oral Language: Tune in, Talk more & Take turns

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Podcast on Oral Language: Tune in, Talk more & Take turns

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Tune in, Talk more & Take turns: 30 million word study | Lovevery

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Learn about the importance of parent-child interactions — not justthe words we use, but the frequency of those words and the way in which they are offered up.

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Brain Development and Mastery of Language in the Early Childhood Years

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Brain Development and Mastery of Language in the Early Childhood Years

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Brain Development and Mastery of Language in the Early Childhood Years - IDRA

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• by Elaine Shiver, M.S.S.W. • IDRA Newsletter • April 2001 Parents of young children and professionals working with young children watch with ... read more

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Letter, Shape, Sound, Word, Mouth Shape Picture Cards

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Letter, Shape, Sound, Word, Mouth Shape Picture Cards

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Sound Wall with Mouth Pictures Cards Science of Reading

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#springintwodollarsDisplay this easy prep set of sound wall grapheme cards in your room! Reference letters, placement on lines and spaces, words, and how to shape the mouth during your lessons as you teach the matching phoneme(s). All features are on one card, saving display space! Each card includ…