1.       Unifix cube building: students can use unifix cubes to build a chain, each cube is one letter of a word (ie: box would have three cubes for b, o, and x.) For students with exceptionalities, teachers could try writing letters on the cubes, writing out the word for a visual cue, and even starting with their name. One could also try duplo blocks or megablocks for children working on fine motor grasps. 

2.       Rhyming riddles: The teacher could say things like “When you’re sick, you go see a poctor” or “When you go to school, you listen to your weacher.” And the students answer with the correct answer. This helps them to identify the beginning sound of words. The teacher could also provide visual cues for students with exceptionalities. 

At-Home Activity: 

1.       Reading rhyming books together. Parents, older siblings, or guardians can try reading rhyming books aloud and discussing rhyming words that the children might hear. This could be done with physical books, online readings, or more. 

Website/Online Resource: 

1.       Learning Games for Kindergarten | Educational Kids Games | Rhyming Words Games | Word Rhyme Maze Puzzle (cookie.com) : This game is typically for children 3-5 years old. The objective is to match rhyming words together to complete a maze. Guardians could assist children of all ability and age levels by helping work the mouse on the computer (or using a tablet with a touch screen) and helping the child sound out the words to determine which ones are rhyming. 

1.       Letter sound songs like Letter Sound BINGO. The children would sing these songs in large group activities as a group. This way, the children with more advanced skills can model for the other children. 

2.       Zoo-phonics: Zoo phonics videos are available on youtube and pair animals with names to a physical motion and the letter sound. This helps keep all their body and mind involved in the activity at hand. Teachers could review a letter each week, sing the zoo phonics alphabet song, and even reinforce the students’ learning with Zoo phonics videos. Students with exceptionalities may be able to pick up zoo-phonics with ease, some students learn zoo-phonics in pieces. For example, a student may learn first the animal, then the name of the animal, then the motion, then the letter sound, or any other variation. I have seen zoo-phonics videos and songs work successfully in cross-categorical kindergarten classrooms as well as early childhood preschool rooms and even general education rooms. 

At-Home Activity: 

1.        For an at-home activity, I suggest Color the Beginning Sound activities. Parents/caregivers can work with the child on coloring pictures that begin with whatever letter sound they are studying. Children who are verbal can practice saying the sound. For children who are nonverbal, the adult could make the sound. This could also work with a stamp or a sticker for children working on grasping writing utensils. 

Website/Online Resource

1.       DuolingoABC is a free app where children can work on phonics skills either independently or with their caregivers. It is specifically designed for children ages 3-8 and work on all sorts of literacy skills, including phonics. The app begins with letter naming and goes on to place sounds to each letter. It presents as a game where the player earns levels, and the child will be motivated to keep playing (therefore learning) and gaining levels. 

1.       I Spy: Children take turns looking for objects around the classroom and describing them for the class to guess what item based on the description. Teachers could help the students come up with descriptive words. For children who may have issues speaking verbally, they could use an augmentative and alternative communication device and/or the teacher could help the child to describe their item. Another option might be to allow the students to work in pairs or small groups for language models. 

2.       Pretend Play: If a class has regular themes or studies, teachers could swap out toys in Dramatic Play to match these themes. For example, if a class theme was pets and the students were learning about pets, their dramatic play area might have veterinarian equipment, groomer equipment, different pets, and different pet habitats. Incorporating these things into their play areas helps them to practice and use the new vocabulary they might be learning. 

At-Home Activity: 

1.       Sorting: Students could work with their guardians/adults to sort different things into categories. For younger children, they might start by sorting things into colors or shapes and may move into sorting items by size. Teachers could send home buttons or beads for sorting, or parents could work with children by sorting crayons or even the laundry into different colors and/or sizes. For children with exceptionalities, one might only use 2-3 categories when sorting until the child gets the hang of it. 

Website/Online Resource: 

1. https://www.education.com/resources/preschool/: This website not only has printable activities to work on at home, but also games for children to play with their grownups. It is important for children to learn through play, and this website has engaging games and activities to work on vocabulary skills. 

1. Reading Aloud: Fluency practice for many preschool students is just listening and engaging as an adult reads to them. One could do a story time where the teacher reads one or two books for the class. For differentiation, one could allow different ways for the children to sit as they listen. Children might sit on the carpet, in chairs, at tables, or even have fidget tools as they listen. Some children may benefit from wiggle seats or an area where they can move freely as they listen. 

2.       Expression Sticks: Before story time, the teacher could have the Helper of the Day (or a chosen student) pick a popsicle stick with a different expression on it (read like a robot, read like a pirate, read like you’re underwater, read like a cowboy, etc). The teacher could read a short story in one expression or even allow multiple students to pull popsicle sticks and read every page in a different expression. This activity can be done with the same differentiations as noted in reading aloud: different seating arrangements (carpet, chair, table, wiggle seats) and possibly fidget tools. 

At-Home Activity: 

1.  Read a Bedtime story: Just as in the classroom, guardians can read the child a bedtime story as they settle down for the night. This could also use different expressions to keep the children engaged and interested in the story. 

Website/Online Resource:

1. https://games.splashlearn.com/sem/preschool/learning-games?msclkid=3accfa83d339154cb62a990bccaadc84&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=sb%3Aus%3Adesktop%3Agrade-prek%3Anon-games&utm_term=learning%20preschool&utm_content=sb%3Aus%3Adesktop%3Agrade-prek%3Anon-games%7Clearning%3Aphrase: Splashlearn has a variety of learning games, as well as Read-Aloud activities. In the activity, children can practice reading simple words. For those students who are not ready to begin reading, a guardian could work with them on sounding out the words and working towards fluency. 

1. Story Sequence: After reading a story to the class, teachers can provide visual pictures of important parts of the story. For example, if the class read Big Pumpkin, the teacher might provide pictures of a witch, a pumpkin, a ghost, a vampire, a mummy, a bat, and pumpkin pie. The children then join in a discussion on which character came first and build a sequence with the given pictures by putting the pictures in order. For differentiation, the teacher may have the book or even multiple copies of the book out for children to reference to. This may also be done in an individual or small group setting depending on the level of support the children require. 

2. For language comprehension, a teacher might play a game of Simon Says. The teacher can give different simple movement suggestions and speak in a calm, quiet voice. The teacher would work to ensure that they are asking the class to do only things they can physically accomplish. For differentiation, it is important to have movements that each child can accomplish. The teacher could play this game in small groups where students have an opportunity to sit out/play elsewhere if they are struggling to understand the game or are becoming frustrated. 

At-Home Activity: 

1.Comprehension activities can be as simple as having a conversation with your child. Guardians can ask children about their day and even plan the evening with the child. Listening and responding to questions is a way to practice oral language comprehension skills. 

Website/Online Resource:

1. https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-101-guide-parents/prek/oral-language-comprehension-activities-your-pre-k-child: Reading Rockets has many suggested activities for comprehension listed on its site, from literacy to oral language comprehension. The parents can choose activities that best fit their child and their child’s ability level. Differentiation might be how the child responds (orally, through sign, or through some form of AAC device). 

The most fun way to learn to read. Duolingo ABC. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2022, from                 https://www.duolingo.com/abc 

Phonological and phonemic awareness. Reading Rockets. (2022, June 15). Retrieved November 27, 2022,                from https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-topics/phonological-and-phonemic-awareness 

Vocabulary. Reading Rockets. (2022, October 31). Retrieved November 27, 2022, from                 https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-topics/vocabulary