English Language Arts

1. English Language Arts In a Transitional Kindergarten (TK) Classroom

2. Acknowledgements The following county offices of education developed the TK professional development modules: With contributions from: Fresno County Office of Education Merced County Office of Education CCSESA’s CISC School Readiness Subcommittee Contra Costa County Office of Education Humboldt County Office of Education Orange County Department of Education Sacramento County Office of Education Santa Clara County Office of Education Shasta County Office of Education Coordinated by: Sacramento County Office of Education Funding provided by:

3. WELCOME

4. Language and Literacy Development “Intentional teachers use their knowledge of child development and literacy learning to supply materials, provide well-timed information, guide discussions, make thoughtful comments, ask meaningful questions, and pose calibrated challenges that advance children’s learning.” Source: Epstein, The Intentional Teacher, p. 40

5. Norms • Start and end on time • Silence cell phones • Listen to and contribute thoughts and ideas

6. Session Outcomes • Examine the Preschool Learning Foundations and the California Kindergarten Common Core Standards for English Language Arts • Review English Language Development for English learners and the English Language Arts Common Core Standards • Identify instructional strategies for transitional kindergarten (TK) to support a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate

7. Background • California was one of just four states (along with Connecticut, Michigan, and Vermont) with a cut-off date later than December 1. In most states, children must turn five by September 1 in order to start kindergarten • Research indicates that beginning kindergarten at an older age improves children’s social and academic development (Cannon, J.S. & Lipscomb S., 2008)

8. Senate Bill 1381 (Simitian) The Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 Source: Early Edge California

9. Developmentally Appropriate Practice Developmentally Appropriate Practice “…involves teachers meeting young children where they are (by stage of development), both as individuals and as part of a group; and helping each child meet challenging and achievable learning goals” • Knowing about child development and learning • Knowing what is individually appropriate • Knowing what is culturally important National Association for the Education of Young Children (www.naeyc.org/DAP)

10. Developmentally Appropriate Practice Principles of Child Development and Learning – Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8 Copple, C., & Bredekamp. S., (Eds.). (2009). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth Through Age 8. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children, (pp. 10-15).

11. Universal Design for Learning • Provide Multiple Means of Representation • Perception • Language expressions and symbols • Comprehension • Provide Multiple Means of Action and Expression • Physical action • Expression and communication • Executive function • Provide Multiple Means of Engagement • Recruiting interest • Sustaining effort and persistence • Self-regulation http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines

12. The Alignment of the California Preschool Learning Foundations with Key Early Education Resources • All domains of the Preschool Learning Foundations correspond to the California Kindergarten Content Standards • Preschool Learning Foundations Language and Literacy domain aligns with the California Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts • Preschool Learning Foundations Mathematics domain aligns with the California Common Core State Standardsfor Mathematics

13. Overview of Alignment Source: The Alignment of the California Preschool Learning Foundations with Key Early Education Resources, CDE, 2012.

14. Overview of Language and Literacy Source: The Alignment of the California Preschool Learning Foundations with Key Early Education Resources, CDE, 2012.

15. Overview of Language and Literacy Source: The Alignment of the California Preschool Learning Foundations with Key Early Education Resources, CDE, 2012.

16. 2012 English Language Development (ELD) Standards Key Ideas • Align with the California Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects • Highlight and amplify the key language knowledge, skills, and abilities in the CCSS critical for English learners to access, engage with, and achieve in grade-level academic content while learning English • Use in tandem with the CCSS and not in isolation

17. ELD Standards: Organization and Elements

18. ELD Proficiency Levels ELD Continuum • Extent of Linguistic Support • Substantial Moderate Light Use appropriate scaffolding strategies for each level of the ELD continuum to help English learners

19. Interdisciplinary Approach to Literacy “The interdisciplinary approach to literacy … is [based on] extensive research establishing the need for college and career ready students to be proficient in reading complex informational text independently in a variety of content areas.” (CDE, 2013, Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy, p. v)

20. Integration of Language and Literacy “…when taking an in-depth look at one domain, one needs to keep in mind that, for young children, learning is usually an integrated experience. For example, a young child may be concentrating on mathematical reasoning, but at the same time, there may be linguistic aspects of the experience.” Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 1, 2008, p. xii

21. The TK Learning Environment: A Reflection of Languages, Cultures, and Community

22. The TK Learning Environment Sample Learning Area Reading Area (Books displayed at eye level): • A variety of fiction & informational books with engaging illustrations and simple text, including books in home languages representative of classroom population • Simple alliteration books so students can learn beginning sounds while playing with language • Photo albums & class books made by the students to help them connect reading to their own lives and also support language development as children discuss the photos and compose captions

23. The TK Learning Environment

24. The TK Learning Environment Sample Learning Area Dramatic Play Area: • Costumes and theme-based props to engage children in hands-on, social interactions that support language and literacy development • Dramatic play areas are intentionally designed to: • Support the development of oral language and vocabulary • Provide opportunities for purposeful and playful encounters with peers and adults • Contribute to the print-rich environment. • Provide sheltered opportunities for English learners to practice their English.

25. The TK Learning Environment Children learn best when instruction is relevant and meaningful to them. When children can apply language and literacy learning to their everyday interests and activities, that learning will be genuine, deep, and lasting. Source: Epstein, Intentional Teacher, 2007, p. 24

26. The TK Learning Environment Sample Learning Area Writing Area: • Assortment of paper, envelopes, and a variety of writing tools, including but not limited to, pencils, pens, markers, paint, crayons, and chalk neatly displayed along with easels for children to practice writing • Environmental print, books, word/name cards, letter-making tools, student name cards, and alphabet strips • Variety of writing tools that have been adapted to provide access for all children

27. The TK Learning Environment

28. Alignment between Preschool Learning Foundations and CCSS for ELA Source: The Alignment of the California Preschool Learning Foundations with Key Early Education Resources, CDE, 2012.

29. Alignment Comparison (Cont.) Source: The Alignment of the California Preschool Learning Foundations with Key Early Education Resources, CDE, 2012.

30. ELA - Early Literacy Strategies • Promote oral language and vocabulary development • Extend conversations and use open-ended questions to expand students’ language development and comprehension • Introduce new vocabulary words using realia or concrete examples • Provide multiple opportunities for students to express their ideas and use new vocabulary words in small- and large-group settings “Young children need to be exposed to a rich and varied vocabulary and the rules of discourse in order to develop the language facility that underlies the late acquisition of literacy, interpersonal problem-solving skills, and other cognitive and social abilities.” Source: Epstein, The Intentional Teacher, 2007, p.15

31. ELA - Early Literacy Strategies • Strengthen interest in print • Environmental Print • Food packages and coupons • Newspapers, magazines, and catalogs • Greeting cards and calendars • Menus and recipes • Connect sounds to words • Make charts of poems • Create word walls • Use pointers • Build knowledge of concepts about print

32. ELA - Early Literacy Strategies • Support writing development • Provide multiple opportunities for fine motor development • Provide a variety of writing instruments and materials in all learning areas • Model and engage students in interactive writing • Provide opportunities for drawing, dictating, and writing • Display students’ writing

33. ELA - Early Literacy Strategies • Support phonological awareness through: • Playful and interactive experiences to manipulate sounds • Alliteration through songs, chants, and books • Interactive opportunities to blend and segment onsets and rimes • Clapping syllables, using snapping blocks for word counts • Exposure and practice with rhyming words

34. ELA - Early Literacy Strategies • Build letter knowledge with… • Songs • Books • Poems • Name cards and common words • Letter matching activities • Tactile experiences to identify and form letters • Letter sounds tied to movement

35. ELA - Early Literacy Strategies • Read aloud books in a variety of genres • Confirm students’ understanding of text by providing opportunities to: • respond to questions • identify characters and major events • retell familiar stories • Provide family literacy opportunities • create lending library including books in the child’s home language

36. Differentiating Instruction • Provide a variety of open-ended materials to engage students in multi-sensory experiences • Adapt instructional materials and learning activities to address the diverse needs of students • Vary the degree of scaffolding to extend learning opportunities for students who need additional time to build competence and to increase rigor for students who demonstrate mastery • Use flexible grouping and various instructional formats to maximize support for students’ individualized needs

37. Strategies for English Learners • Scaffolding: • Make/use talking sticks and/or provide toy microphones for children who may be more reluctant to attempt using expressive language • Use manipulatives, realia, or photos to support vocabulary and language development • Move from non-verbal responses to one-two words, yes/no, frame sentences, simple answers • Provide clear signs and picture cues for interest areas • Encourage families to play with language and count syllables in songs/chants/rhymes in their home language because those skills will transfer to English

38. Universal Design for Learning • Goal: • Create accessible environments and experiences for all students. • The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) model considers three principles for learning opportunities: • Multiple means of engagement • Multiple means of representation • Multiple means of expression

39. Assessment Approaches • Use multiple measures to monitor students’ progress • Observation and anecdotal notes • Work samples and portfolios • Video and audio recordings • Checklist of phonological awareness skills

40. Supporting Phonological Awareness Play with Language/Rime Alliteration Repetitive-Cumulative

41. Let’s Begin Strand: Reading Sub Strand: 2.0 Phonological Awareness • At around 48 months, the foundations for phonological awareness are written only for older four-year olds because much of the initial development of phonological awareness occurs between 48 months and 60 months of age • At around 60 months • Orally blends and deletes words and syllables without the support of pictures or objects • Orally blends the onsets, rimes, and phonemes of words and orally deletes the onsets of words, with support of pictures or objects

42. Let’s Practice • Review Sub Strand: 2.0 Phonological Awareness (at around 60 months) • Review Common Core State Standard for ELA Phonological Awareness Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes) • Recognize and produce rhyming words • Count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words • Blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable spoken words

43. Let’s Practice • Create a lesson that would differentiate for all the learners in your TK classroom. Be sure to include strategies to support English learners and children with disabilities

44. Resources

45. Resources

46. Questions?

47. Thank You