Teaching the

Acquisition of Language in K indergarten

“Kindergarten is like the ocean. You don't want to turn your back on it.”

Kindergarten Cop

Welcome to

Purpose

Purpose

Collaboratively inquire into the ways we provide inclusive and responsive learning opportunities for

all of our language learners.

ESTABLISHING SHARED UNDERSTANDINGS

Second Language Acquisition

Early Learning Pedagogy &Full Day Kindergarten

CONSIDERING OUR CONTEXT

2nd Language Learners

1st Language Learners

Kindergarten

Students

Early Learning Fundamentals:

Young children:• Are capable and full of potential

• Have complex identities, grounded in individual strengths and capacities

• Take nourishment from families and communities, their language and culture

• Need to belong and contribute

Image of the Child

Early Learning Fundamentals:

Playful Learning

FDK = More time for play based exploration and inquiry.

1. Child Initiated Play

2. Teacher Initiated Play and Activities

FDK Guide

Intrinsic Value of Play

• Creativity

• Self-regulation

• Independence

• Problem Solving

• Social Skills

Transformative Value of Play

Extrinsic Value of Play:

Consolidation and ExtensionIn playing, children express, explore, combine, and extend what they have learned…

…. they bring together everything they have learned and are wondering about.

British Columbia Early Learning Framework, 2008

The Value of Child Initiated Play

Intrinsic Extrinsic

Early Learning Fundamentals: Teacher Role

Knowledge of Each Child

Open Ended Activities

Interactions Adults and

Peers

Programs are:

Intentional planned,

child-centred, inclusive,

adult guided

Relational

ResponsiveIncl

usiv

e

Teaching Goals Environment

• Children need opportunities to play with ideas and materials from our lessons

• We need to teach skills, language, and processes so that all children can access the learning opportunities provided in the environment

Early Learning Fundamentals: Value of Play

Early Learning Fundamentals:

Goals Environment

IntentionalResponsive

InclusiveTEACHER

Biological Basis of Learning

Connections = Learning

Video: How Neurons Work by cosmiccontinuum

Birth to 3 years

A Quadrillion Connections Created

Connections that are Used Get Stronger

Video: How We Learn - Synapses and Neural Pathways by Streetwisdom Billy

3 Years Old to 10 Years Old

Unused connections are pruned

Neuroplasticity: Neurons That Fire Together Wire Together

Continues throughout life

Rich Hands on and Sensory experiences foster brain development

Promote awareness and problem solving

Create rich neural Networks

(enriched environments

increase dendritic branching)

Take advantage

of how the

brain works

When Learning We:

Use established neural networks

Strengthen existing neural networks

Expand our neural networks