Title I Preschool Meeting RED LION AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT Title I Preschool Meeting Amy Jackson and Amy Glusco Please sign in! April 25, 2012

Welcome and Introductions

Purpose for our partnership CHILDREN STRENGTHENING TIES Title I Mutual benefits Networking College and Career Ready

RLASD Kindergarten Curriculum Math Art Science Physical Education Language Arts Music Social Studies Library

Kindergarten Curriculum Divide into 5 groups (count off by 5; complete chart paper and individual t-charts) 1- Language Arts 2- Social Studies 3- Science 4- Math 5- Special Areas (Art, Library, Music, Library, Physical Education)

Share Each group report out activities already implemented to support RLASD curriculum and possible new ideas. Be sure to take notes!

Materials provided to support curriculum Language Arts (predicting/visualizing/phonemic awareness)

Materials provided to support curriculum Social Studies (why we work)

Materials provided to support curriculum Science (weather)

Materials provided to support curriculum Math (shapes)

Letter Knowledge Most early attempts at literacy start out as barely recognizable drawings and doodles. Until children have learned to perceive the attributes and characteristics of letters, they will continue to use and confuse them.

What is Alphabetic Knowledge? Recognition of the shape of the letter Ability to name the letter Knowledge of the sound of the letter Automaticity in naming letters Ability to print the letter

What Does Research Say? Letter knowledge has been identified as a strong predictor of reading success (Ehri & Sweet, 1991).  While teaching children letter names does not in itself result in success in learning to read (Jenkins, Bausell, & Jenkins, 1972), it can facilitate memory for the forms or shapes of letters and can serve as a mnemonic for letter-sound associations or phonics (Adams, 1990).

What Does Research Say? Knowledge of the alphabet is essential in early reading instruction. It provides teachers and students with common language for discussing graphophonic relationships. Assessment of alphabet knowledge should occur in two contexts: letter recognition within words and sentences, and letters in isolation. (Reutzel and Cooter, 1996)

Classroom Implications Promote knowledge of letters To promote flexible learning of letters, children must acquire knowledge of letters in many different ways. A simple rule is to begin with the easiest letters- those letters with maximum contrast (for example, m, b, f, s, r) - and promote overlearning with these letters.

Classroom Implications Opportunities to explore Children need opportunities to learn about and manipulate the building blocks of written language. Knowledge of letters (graphemes) leads to success with learning to read. This includes the use, purpose, and function of letters.

Classroom Implications Sharing Reading of the Alphabet Chart The chart is read daily until the children are able to read the chart independently. The chart becomes a familiar resource for associating letter and sound cues during reading and writing events. The teacher points to each letter (upper and lower case) and each picture as she leads the children in a shared reading activity.

Ways of Looking at Letters The name of the letter The way the letter looks The sound of the letter The feel of the letter in the mouth The movement of the letter as it is written A word associated with the letter The way the word looks embedded in a word The name of the letter: Show your child a letter card and ask him/her to tell you the name of the letter. The way the letter looks: Talk about the shape of the letter. What is the composition of the letter . . . circles, sticks, tails, etc.? The sound of the letter: Show your child a letter card and ask him/her to make the sound that the letter produces. Remember that each vowel makes two sounds. The feel of the letter in the mouth: Focus on the pronunciation of the letter and the production of the sound. Where is the tongue, and what is it doing? Where are your teeth? (It helps to look in a mirror for this exercise.) The movement of the letter as it is written: Talk through the method of producing the letter in printed form. A word associated with the letter: Example: A, a, apple gives children an anchor to use as a memory tool.

Activities Class Big Books Songs ABC Sticker Book Alphabet Sorts Search for Letters Alphabet Stories Songs Alphabet Sorts Font Sorts Picture Sorts Playdough Letters Alphabet Charts Environmental Print

Alphabet Sorts by color by upper-case and lower-case by letter name by attributes (tall/short, round/straight) same/different letters in known words first, last, middle letters in known words alphabetical order Provides additional opportunities for children to attend to the visual details of letters and discriminate between them by sorting letters.

Flexible Practice See it, say it, and do it in a variety of ways: in the air, on the back of a neighbor, on the floor with their foot.

Flexible Practice Materials White boards Chalk boards Magna Doodles Templates Tactile letters Finger paint Variety of writing tools Textured materials

More Alphabet Materials Alphabet books (commercial or teacher created) Alphabet placemats Alphabet rugs A variety of charts Blocks Letter walls Matching games Names Chart Pocket charts and/or shoe bags Desktop alphabet charts Shaving Cream/ Pudding

Materials provided to support letter knowledge

THANK YOU! See you next year!