L ANGUAGE D EVELOPMENT Incorporating Language Activities into the Preschool English Language Arts Curriculum

L ANGUAGE S KILLS A CQUISITION P ROGRESSION Listening (CC1.5 – Listening and Speaking) Understanding meaning of words (CC.1.1 – Foundational skills) Speaking (CC1.5 – Listening and Speaking) Recognizing letters (CC.1.1 – Foundational skills) Recognizing sounds letters make (CC.1.1 – Foundational skills) Reading words (CC1.2 – Reading Texts) Writing letters (CC1.4 Writing) Writing words (CC1.4 Writing) Reading and writing sentences (CC.1.1 – Foundational skills, CC1.3 Reading Literature CC1.4 Writing )

D EVELOPING L ANGUAGE P ROFICIENCY Humans are hard wired from birth to learn language. As babies and toddlers, children listen to language and begin to mimic what they hear. Rules of grammar are innately developed by children based on what they hear. A window of opportunity for the brain to learn language occurs between 0-2 years. During preschool years, direct teaching of language is not as helpful as direct emersion in a language rich environment.

P RE -R EADING S KILLS Most 4 and 5 year olds cannot read. At 3 and 4 children understand symbolism of letters. Preschoolers recognize letters and their name. At 4 and 5 children can often recognize first letter in a word. 5 year olds can identify rhyming words.

P RE -R EADING A CTIVITIES Reading a variety of different types of stories. Puzzles with words and letters. Matching game with lower and upper case letters. Practice writing name on artwork. Decorate letters with objects that start with that letter. What letters does this start with? game Listening games like “Simon Says”. Alphabet Search Game

E XPRESSIVE L ANGUAGE S KILLS Ability to communicate thoughts through speech. Preschoolers say what they are thinking, often without being able to hold a cohesive conversation. Generally are able to answer direct questions with an accurate response.

E XPRESSIVE L ANGUAGE A CTIVITIES Singing songs Reciting poems or nursery rhymes Playing Eye Spy – “I spy with my little eye” Song

A RTICULATION Ability to speak clearly. Gradually improves from three to five. Some sounds are still difficult: ch, th, and s. Stuttering: repeating sound of word. Usually a result of thinking faster than mouth can speak.

A RTICULATION A CTIVITIES Singing songs Reciting poems or nursery rhymes. Nursery Rhymes

V OCABULARY Vocabulary grows rapidly during preschool years. By four – 1500 word vocabulary. By five – 2000 word vocabulary. May have unclear meaning of words and use incorrectly. Vocabulary generally concrete verbs and nouns. Repeat words and phrases of adults. Kids Say the Darndest Things

V OCABULARY A CTIVITIES Reading stories with variety of vocabulary words. Books about words. Writing a class book about a specific topic. Each child contributes one drawing. Play games that require children recognize or identify various vocabulary words. Bean Bag Toss

G RAMMAR Grammar improves during preschool year. May have trouble with pronoun agreement. “Him and me are going to the zoo.” May have trouble with verb usage. “Why sky is blue?” rather than “Why is the sky blue.” May have noun and verb agreement problems. “Tommy do not have a crayon.”

G RAMMAR A CTIVITIES Reading stories with simple language. Teachers repeat children’s words using correct grammar. It’s a Book!