Early Childhood Foundation: Listening and Understanding Children gain information and understanding by observing, listening and responding to home language and English by: Responding to sounds in the environment Responding interactively with others Recognizing and responding to the meaning of familiar words Following simple or routine directions Smiles at person who talks or gestures to him/her. Waits for adult to take a turn in simple turn-taking routines, such as making sounds or pounding on the table. Responds with appropriate gestures to greetings/salutations, such as bye bye. Recognizes names of familiar objects, such as bottle or binkie. Responds to give me by relinquishing the object. Retrieves a familiar object on request from an adult. Engages children in back and forth communicating. Pairs words with actions and objects during play activities and daily routines. Follows child s lead, commenting on the child s actions and sounds. Engages children in songs, rhymes, finger plays and stories. Names and describes people, things and actions. Expands on child s language and answers questions. Encourages parents to develop and maintain their first language in the home. Stories, songs, words and games in English and non-english Durable cloth, board or vinyl books, soft toys and puppets which are accessible throughout the day Sturdy board, vinyl and cloth books, photo albums and magazines with pictures 1
LANGUAGE AND LITERACY Early Childhood Foundation: Speaking and Communicating Children use non-verbal communication and language in home language to express needs, wants and ideas by: Using sounds or body movements to communicate Using words to communicate Initiating and participating in conversations and thoughts Using a growing vocabulary Using multi-word sentences Requests continued actions of a toy or activity through body movements, eye contact or vocalizations. Indicates preferences such as no more by turning or pushing away or raising arms to be picked up. Uses single words to request information. Answers and asks simple questions. Labels objects and people. Uses two-word sentences that combine two concepts or thoughts, such as daddy go or eat cookie. Uses plurals. Uses alternate ways to communicate when needed (gestures, sign language). Builds on interests to introduce new words and ideas during play. Engages child in back and forth conversations or interactions. Understands that crying or acting out is a child s way of communicating wants and needs. Provides opportunities for children to engage in conversation. Responds to toddler s cues and communications. Materials that encourage face to face interactions (books, puppets, dolls and mirrors) Pictures of children and their families (books and photos) 2
Early Childhood Foundation: Phonological Awareness Children use sounds in a variety of contexts by: Imitating sounds and words Making oral rhymes or identifying syllables in spoken words Hearing beginning sounds and ending sounds in words Listening and telling differences in phonemes (smallest parts of sound in a spoken word) Imitates sounds when made by caregiver Attempts to make own mouth move like that of an adult Imitates familiar two-syllable words Imitates a variety of novel words Joins in reciting the rhyme and clearly says some key words Plays with language by repeating new words and making up nonsense words Engages children in songs, finger plays and stories. Engages child in simple rhyming games that identify beginning syllables of words (Anna Banana). Stories, songs or word games throughout the day Books that contain rhyming words (Cat in the Hat) 3
Early Childhood Foundations: Book Knowledge and Appreciation Children enjoy books and care for books by: Handling books appropriately Understanding the pictures and stories in books Manipulates books by looking, patting, pointing or turning pages. Acts out part of simple, familiar story. Holds book right side up. Turns pages front to back. Points to and names familiar pictures. Reads book to others, making multiple-word utterances to tell the story. Notices and reacts to changes in familiar stories. Provides a variety of books and pictures that are accessible. Looks at and names pictures in books with the child. Provides books with simple realistic pictures to build vocabulary. Provides daily lap reading time. Provides books that engage senses (different textures, se of colors). Soft, cozy place for looking at books (pillows, rugs, stuffed animals) Many types of durable children s books accessible to children 4
Early Childhood Foundation: Print Awareness and Concepts Children develop awareness that symbols and print carry meaning and purpose by: Recognizing objects and the relationship of pictures to objects and actions Recognizing familiar signs and symbols Recognizing print as different from pictures or random lines Showing involvement and pleasure in being read to Attends to picture book for up to 3-5 minutes. Recognizes familiar/favorite books. Uses a few words to label objects or to name people. Names line drawings of common objects. Selects pictures of familiar actions. Recognizes the covers of several books and labels them. Recognizes familiar signs and labels (e.g., fast food restaurant symbol) or logos (e.g., cereal box label). Recognizes own name on bedroom wall, coat rack or on chart used for classroom opening activities. Provides a variety of books and pictures that are accessible. Looks at and names pictures in books with the child. Points to and describes actions of characters in the pictures. Provides daily lap reading time. Soft cozy place for looking at books (pillows, rugs, stuffed animals) Many types of durable children s books accessible to children 5
Early Childhood Foundations: Early Writing Children use symbols (pictures, scribbles) to represent ideas and words by: Showing interest in exploring writing Using tools to make marks, symbols, pictures Using symbol to represent name Bats at, reaches for, grasps or mouths objects placed within reach. Reaches for and picks up objects when placed in visual field. Manipulates objects with hands and fingers. Uses pincer grasp (i.e., thumb against tip of index finger). Uses writing tools. Scribbles spontaneously. Imitates a vertical stroke and horizontal stroke. Pretends to write. Copies simple shapes (e.g., circle, cross, square). Attempts to make symbol/s to represent name (e.g., to put name on picture). Provides crayons and other art materials for an infant to explore. Respects scribbles as early forms of writing. Writes name of child on artwork. Models the use of writing and drawing in everyday activities. Writes child s dictation of story on artwork. Reads stories and points out letters or plays with magnet letters. Respects all attempts at writing by child. A variety of writing tools, large sheets of paper, paint and brushes Displays of children s art Pictures or posters with words 6
Resources The Creative Curriculum for Infants & Toddlers; Amy Laura Dombro, Laura J. Colker, and Diane Trister Dodge Growing Up Reading: Learning To Read Through Creative Play; Jill Frankel Hauser Learning Language and Loving It: A Guide to Promoting Children s Social and Language Development; Elaine Weitzman and Janice Greenber Literacy: The Creative Curriculum Approach; Cate Heroman and Candy Jones Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever; Mem Fox Starting Out Right: A Guide to Promoting Children s Reading Success; Catherine E. Snow, M. Susan Burns, and Peg Griffin The Scientist in the Crib: What Early Learning Tells Us About the Mind; Alison Gopnick, Andrew N. Meltzoff, and Patricia K. Kuhl Tender Care and Early Learning: Supporting Infants and Toddlers in Child Care Settings; Jacalyn Post and Mary Hohmann Young Children and Picture Books: Literature from Infancy to Six (NAEYC); Mary Renck Jalongo Books for Children I Love You, Sun I Love You, Moon; Karen Pandell and Tomie depaola My First Animal Board Book; Dorling Kindersley Publishing My First Baby Games; Jane Manning My Very First Mother Goose; Iona Archibald Opie Time For Bed; Mem Fox Who s Peeking?; Charles Reasoner What Is That?; Tana Hoban In the Tall, Tall Grass; Denise Fleming Jessie Bear; What Will You Wear?; Nancy White Carlstrom Mama Mama or Papa Papa; Jean Marzollo On Mother s Lap; Ann Herbert Scott Ten, Nine, Eight; Molly Bang 7