Early Literacy Learning Model: Additional Practice Exercises for Practitioners about Everyday Literacy Activities

1. Early Literacy Learning Model: Additional Practice Exercises for Practitioners about Everyday Literacy Activities Distance Learning Events brought to you by the Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL)

2. What are additional practice exercises for practitioners? • Created specifically for those who work in the early childhood classroom. • Cover the four main components of the CELL early literacy learning model • Utilize the Participatory Adult Learning Strategies (PALS) approach to learning

3. Additional Practice #1:Everyday Literacy Activities • Make the Early Childhood Interests Assessment form easily accessible by taping it on the wall or using a clipboard. You can get the assessment from our tools page located here. • Informally observe one child during the morning or afternoon for two or three hours. • Write the child’s initials in the areas of interest for that particular child on the form. • Make a list of additional activities that are rich with literacy experiences that were observed and should be on the list.

4. Additional Evaluation #1:Everyday Literacy Activities • What patterns emerged? What types of activities did the child engage in most frequently? • Of the activities engaged in, what types of informal literacy experiences occurred? • What could you do to make the child’s favorite activities more literacy rich?

5. Additional Reflection #1:Everyday Literacy Activities • You were asked to note what types of informal literacy experiences occurred while observing a child. • Do you need to create more opportunities for informal literacy learning? • How will you do that? Place this list of opportunities in your lesson plan folder or in the child’s portfolio.

6. Additional Practice #2:Everyday Literacy Activities • Choose an area of interest noted in Practice 1 of Everyday Literacy Activities. • Create and implement an informal everyday literacy activity related to that particular interest.

7. Additional Evaluation #2:Everyday Literacy Activities • How often could this activity occur throughout the day? • How could this activity provide opportunities for language learning? • How could this activity provide opportunities for practicing literacy skills?

8. Additional Reflection #2:Everyday Literacy Activities • What challenges did you face completing this practice? • Why do you think you faced those challenges?

9. Additional Practice #3:Everyday Literacy Activities • Choose one area of interest noted on the Early Childhood Interests Assessment form. • Based on that area of interest, create a list of interest-based literacy learning activities that you could provide outdoors.

10. Additional Evaluation #3:Everyday Literacy Activities Were the activities you created informal or formal? How could these activities provide opportunities for language learning? How could these activities provide opportunities for practicing literacy skills?

11. Additional Reflection #3:Everyday Literacy Activities • What challenges did you face completing this practice? • Why do you think you faced those challenges?