Language Development and Literacy

Presented By:EDT 571 Summer 1 2010

Jennifer Dodge Ashton Sprouse Harold Stanfield Rosie Amstutz David Ashdown

School Age: An OverviewAccording to CHALL, children this age are in stage 1 and 2 of the 5

developmental stages. Stage 1 is initial reading or decoding stage while stage 2

is the confirmation, fluency, and ungluing from print stage.

The reading mistakes they make are semantically and syntactically plausible: “The dog is growling” . Often substituting a word that LOOKS similar but doesn’t work semantically because it

doesn’t have the same meaning. (green for growling) Or they substitute a word they know for a word they don’t know, which has the same

meaning semantically. (barking for growling)

Children gain fluency through redundancy of high-frequency words and familiar text. They go from learning to read, to reading to learn.

During this period they increase their receptive and expressive vocabularies, ability to clarify language ambiguities, use of decontextualized language, the number of functions for which they use language, conversation skills, and narrative abilities.

School Age: An Overview continued Lexical development: Children learn new words in at least three ways:

direct instruction, contextual abstraction, and morphological analysis

Direct instruction involves learning the meaning of a word directly from a more knowledgeable source; person or text. Children don’t begin using dictionaries to learn the meaning of words until about 2nd grade.

Contextual abstraction involves using context clues in both spoken and written forms of language to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.

Morphological analysis involves analyzing the lexical, inflectional, and derivational morphemes of unfamiliar words to infer their meanings. Children can break down the parts of the word that they know in order to infer what the word means.

School Age…An Overview by Age

At Four Years...

Imitates your speech patterns accurately... e.g. We liked that, didn’t we?

His speech is understood by strangers.

His sentences contain four or more words and are grammatical.

Vocabulary is large for e.g. knowing parts of his body, names of household objects, animals etc.

Still make errors especially when he uses past sentences for example he may say ‘I taked it’.

Always enjoys asking questions.

Develops and refine his language and make fewer mistakes.

Talks fluently and can repeat nursery rhymes and songs with very few errors.

At Five Years... Vocabulary is about 5000 words His speech is understood by strangers.

Uses complex sentences correctly.

Enjoys telling and hearing jokes & riddles.

Understands that language can be written with symbols.

Can give his full name, age and address and often his birthday.

Is interested in reading and writing

Recognizes his name and attempts to write it.

Talks about the past, present and future, with a good sense of time.

Is fluent in his speech and grammatically correct.

Loves to be read stories and will then act out in detail later, either alone or with friends.

At Six Years...

Can pronounce the majority of sounds of his own language.

Talks fluently and with confidence.

Can remember and repeat nursery rhymes and songs.

Is steadily developing literacy skills... reading and writing... although his ability to read independently usually begins between 7 and 9 years of age.

Will start to read by himself, although he will still want you to read him poems and stories.

When you read a lot, he will develop the reading habit as well.

At Seven Years... Understand 20,000-26,000 words

Understands time intervals and seasons of the year

Is aware of mistakes in other peoples' speech.

At Eight Years… Form complex and compound sentences much more easily and exhibit few lapses

in grammar

Carry on meaningful conversations with adult speakers and follow fairly complex instructions with little or no repetition

Able to read age appropriate texts with ease and begin to demonstrate competence with writing simple compositions

Have acquired various social amenities in common usage, such as 'please' and 'thank you' and will know when and where to use them

Language Development Looks & Sounds Like….

5-6 years old○ Phonology:

can manipulate phonemes in words and blend and segment individual sounds

○ Syntax: Produces some sentences with passive voice Begins to use morphology to infer the meaning of new words

○ Semantics: Learns to read by decoding

○ Pragmatics: Uses mostly direct requests Uses repetition for conversational repair Produces at least four types of narratives

(www.child-development-guide.com/language-development.html)

Language Development Looks & Sounds Like….

7-8 years old○ Phonology:

can produce all American sounds and blends○ Syntax:

Uses noun phrases, adverbs, and conjunctions and some mental and linguistic verbs

Comprehends so, if, but, or, before, after, and then Uses suffixes as -er, -ly, -y

○ Semantics: Begins to use multi-word definitions instead of single word definitions Uses dictionary to define new words Hones decoding skills to read unfamiliar words

○ Pragmatics: Comprehends indirect requests and hints Uses and understands most deictic terms Produces narrative plots containing beginning, end, problem, and resolution

(www.child-development-guide.com/language-development.html)

Disorders that May Affect Language Development & Literacy Acquisition Traumatic Brain Injury: damage

to the frontal lobe deals with language functions: Broca’s Area

○ Spoken communication○ Fine coordination of speech

output

Wernicke’s Area○ Receptive speech area○ Critical site for language

comprehension

Deaf: can hear mumbled or no sounds

Stuttering: can get easily frustrated

Autism: delay in spoken language, make believe play, receptive motor movements

Mental retardation: 6 grade level high, IQ less than 70 (down, fragile X, Fetal)

Boardmaker Use for Students with Disabilities

What Can Educators Do?Giving Children Their Voice

Language Disorders

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ir7JBs2AYg&feature=related

"We believe that language is a requirement for reading. We teach language first and then reading and writing. We focus on a child's unique language problems to teach him to read and to write. In elementary school the most important skill is reading. At SLCD, we know that reading cannot be taught without understanding a child's language deficits - that is why so many children are not learning to read elsewhere. Language and reading are partners like parents and teachers." Dr. Tiegerman

School-Age: What Does Play Look Like?

New hobbies / interests

Social skills Independence

“Learning follows naturally when play is fun” (Raising Children Network).

School-Age: Milestones

Shifting sources of language input

Acquisition of Metalinguistic Competence

Milestone #1: Shifting Sources of Language Input

Developmental stages of reading○ Initial reading / decoding (5-7 years)

Semantically and syntactically probableGraphic resemblanceGraphic resemblance and semantically probable

○ Confirmation, fluency & ungluing from print (7-8 years)○ Reading to learn the new (9-14 years)○ Multiple viewpoints (14-18 years)○ Construction and reconstruction (18+)

Milestone #2: Acquisition of Metalinguistic Competence

Significant increase Types:

Phonological awareness

Figurative language

School-Age Achievements

Language Context Language Form Language Use

Achievements: Content

Lexical development Understanding multiple meanings Understanding lexical and sentence

ambiguity Development of literate language

Elaborated noun phrasesAdverbsConjunctionsMental & linguistic verbs

Achievements: Form

Complex syntax development

Morphological development

Phonological development

Achievements: Use

Functional flexibilityConversational

abilitiesNarrative

development

Supporting Language Development

Create print-rich and language-rich environments Scaffold learners Encourage reflection and revision Connect learners Emphasize vocabulary

NETC

The Brain: School Age Development

Wernicke’s & Boca's Area

Speaking the Written Word:To speak a word that is read, information must first get to the primary visual cortex. From the primary visual cortex, information is transmitted to the posterior speech area, including Wernicke's area. From Wernicke's area, information travels to Broca's area, then to the Primary Motor Cortex.

Speaking the Heard WordTo speak a word that is heard, information must first get to the primary auditory cortex. From the primary auditory cortex, information is transmitted to the posterior speech area, including Wernicke's area. From Wernicke's area, information travels to Broca's area, then to the Primary Motor Cortex.

Phonological Development Ages 5 – 6

Awareness of the distinct sounds in syllables an words

Blends sounds to make words Reading development improves Decoding skills improve Ability to segment sounds Ability to segment words into

onset and rime Awareness of Spelling Sequence Use knowledge of spelling

patterns in words to read new words encountered in text

Ages 7 – 8 Sound manipulation develops

○ Say “rate” without the /r/

Pragmatic Development: Social Context Language Ages 5 – 6

Uses mostly direct requests Uses repetition for conversational

repair Produces at least four types of

narratives

Ages 7 – 8 Comprehends indirect requests

and hints Uses and understands most

deictic terms (we, you, here, there, now, then, this, that, the former, the latter)

Produces narrative plots containing beginning, end, problem, and resolution

Pragmatic Development cont’d. Development of Literate Language:

Decontextualized language; the ability to use language itself to make meaning without context cues or environment to support meaning.

Children “talk to learn” at this stage. They use language to communicate as well as engage in higher order cognitive functions such as reflecting,

reasoning, planning, and hypothesizing.

Semantic Development: Meaning of Words in Context Ages 5 - 6

Learns to read by decoding

Ages 7 – 8 Begins to use multiword

definitions instead of single-word definitions

Uses the dictionary to define new words

Hones decoding skills to read unfamiliar words

Syntactic Development: Structure of Language Ages 5-6:

Produces some sentences with passive voice Begins the use morphology to infer the meanings of new words

Ages 7-8 Uses elaborated noun phrases, adverbs, and conjunctions, and some mental and linguistic verbs. Comprehends conjunctions such as because, so, if, but, or, before, after, and then. Uses adult ordering of adjectives, Uses full passives, Uses derivational suffixes such as -er, -y, and

–ly Realize that many words are polysemous (have more than one meaning) and can provide multiple

definitions for words with several similar meanings. Understands lexical ambiguity, such as: Homophones: words that sound alike and may be spelled alike or spelled differently (bear – bare) Homographs: words that are spelled the same and may sound alike or may sound different.

(record – record) Homonyms: words that are spelled alike and sound alike but differ in meaning. They are a specific

type of homophone. (brown bear – bear weight) Complex Syntax Development is the most important achievement in form for school-age children.

It marks the development of a Literate Language Style. These are rarely used in conversation, but reflect advanced levels of grammar in written language.

What Does School Age Conversation Sound Like? Ranges from Oral language on one end to Literate language

on the other, along a continuum.

Oral language is the language necessary for communicating basic desires and needs. (phonology, syntax, morphology, and semantics). Highly contextualized, depends on the immediate context and environment. Refers to something physically available to the speaker “I want THAT”, along with gestures and facial expressions.

Literate language is language used to monitor and reflect on experience, reason about, plan, and predict experiences. “No, remember Dad said we are supposed to share this”.

There are Four features of literate language:

1.Elaborate noun phrases: a group of words consisting of a noun and one or more modifiers providing additional information about the noun. Including Articles (a, an, the), Possessives (my, his, their), Demonstratives (this, that those), Quantifiers (every, each, some), WH-Words (what, which, whenever), and Adjectives (tall, long, ugly).

2.Adverbs: a syntactic form that modifies verbs. Provide additional information about Time, Manner, Degree, Place, Reason, and Affirmation or Negation.

3.Conjunctions: Words that organize information and clarify relationships among elements. Coordinating conjunctions (and, for, or, yet) and Subordinating conjunctions (after, although, as, because)

4.Mental and linguistic verbs: Refer to various acts of thinking and speaking. Mental verbs include (think, know, believe) while Linguistic verbs include (say, tell, speak) “The way a speaker paints a picture for the listener is by using a variety of techniques that go well beyond using the correct vocabulary and syntax”

School Age Language Development

Connections to Literacy Metalinguistic Competence: ability to

think about and analyze language as an object or attention increases significantly during school age

yearsExamples:

○ 1st grade students may have to identify the number of phonemes in a word

○ 7th grade students may have to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word by using knowledge of a root word

Connections to Literacy: Two Types of Metalinguistic Competence

Obtaining the ability to blend sounds to make words supports a child’s reading development, particularly decoding skills

Learning to read also improves a child’s phonemic awareness

Ability to segment words is related to an awareness of spelling sequences in words and reading development

Sound manipulation require children to analyze and manipulate the sound structures of individual words

Phonological Awareness

Phoneme Identification Activities

Figurative Language

Language used in non-literal and abstract ways.

Used to evoke a mental image and sense impressions on other people.

Types:○ Metaphor & Simile (comparisons): Children’s ability to produce these is related

to their performance on measures of general cognition, language, and academic achievement

○ Hyperbole (exaggerated statement): involves either an exploitation of paralinguistic cues or pragmatic cues

○ Idioms (contain both literal and figurative meaning): Children’s ability to comprehend the text they read predicts their understanding of idioms presented in context.

○ Irony (incongruity between what a speaker or writer sys and what actually happens): Puns and sarcasm

○ Proverbs (statements that express the conventional values beliefs and wisdom in society): one of most difficult to master. Understanding improves during the adolescent years and the presence of a supportive linguistic environment can facilitate adolescent’s understanding of proverbs

Figurative Language Classroom Activity

More Connections to Literacy Significant gains are made in language content form and use

Lexical Development: Receptive and Expressive Vocabularies expand

Ability to clarify language ambiguities, use decontextualized language, and narrative skills improve

Contextual Abstractions: Use context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words

Morphological Analysis: analyzing the lexical, inflectional and derivational morphemes of unfamiliar words to infer their meanings (eg. “homo-” (same) “-phone” (sound))

Polysemous: understanding that words have multiple meanings improves making them more able to achieve full competence at the literate end of the oral-literate language continuum

Lexical Ambiguity: words or phrases have more than one meaning. Students can notice the ambiguity, scrutinize the words and then arrive at the appropriate meaning.

More complex syntax is demonstrated particularly in the use of persuasive writing

What Can Teachers Do to Support Literacy Development at this Age? Readers Theater

Provides authentic approach to fluency instruction

Students are more likely to rehearse and practice assigned readings if they know they are going to have to performing it for an audience

Rehearsal is not aimed at reading for speed but at reading with meaningful expression to help an audience of listeners understand the passage.

Goal is fluency instruction aimed at improving prosody and meaning.

Improves accuracy and automaticity of word recognition.

Research shows it improves reading performance.

Also found to be more engaging and motivational activity for students.

Young & Rasinski 2009

Writing Workshops: ABC Books

Bridges oral language, reading and writing

Parallels Rummelhart’s Interactive Theory

Also ability to integrate technology: the partnership of literature and technology within writing instruction leads to authentic purpose for writing & engaging activities

Use of ABC “anchor texts” : generally follow a consistent and predictable organizational pattern making it user friendly and effective as a mentor text for writers of all ages and stages.

First Grade: Oral language mini-lesson based on ABC “anchor book” leads to ongoing conversations and peer collaboration leading to a class book.

Fifth Grade: Oral language mini-lesson based on ABC “anchor book” leads to production of class powerpoint alphabet year book.

Eighth grade: Oral language collaboration through conferring…conversations provide teacher and students opportunities to support one another during the creative process. Students created powerpoint alphabet books about topics they were interested in.

Evers, Lang, & Smith 2009

What are Some Literacy Strategies that Can be Incorporated for Diverse Populations to form Standard English Expectations?

K-PALS: Kindergarten Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies A supplemental peer-tutoring program developed by Vanderbuilt University. Higher performing readers are paired to practice skills identified as critical for beginners

(phonemic awareness, letter-sound recognition, decoding, & Fluency) K-PALS was thought to be effective for ELLs because of the explicit phonics instruction and

because of the use of the interactive teaching theory (high levels of student engagement, frequent opportunities for accurate response, and peer-mediated learning)

Study Results:○ K-PALS was shown to improve scores on phonemic awareness and letter-sound recognition

of ELLs○ No statistically significant difference with regards to Word Id and Word Attack subtests,

spelling or Oral Reading.

McMaster, Kung, Han, Cao 2008

What are Some Literacy Strategies that Can be Incorporated for Diverse Populations to form Standard English Expectations?

MGR: Modified Guided Reading Guided Reading is a balanced literacy program providing differentiated, small-group reading

instruction for 4-6 students with similar strengths and instructional needs or to heterogeneously grouped students.

MGR approach uses the Interactive Theory as it divides the reading process into two components: reader’s experience/ background knowledge (top down) and reader’s cognitive processing (bottom-up)

Aims to increase automaticity and improve comprehension of texts through an interactive reading process.

Steps of MGR○ Analyze Text to prepare for the introduction, shared and student reading, word work, and writing responses to the

lesson.○ Setting Scene or Introducing the Text to set a successful reading experience by mediating access to the text.○ Shared Reading to allow opportunity to model fluent reading, discuss the story and vocabulary as the text is read

aloud, make connections and scaffold the content or concepts that may be different for the students and focus on strategy demonstrations before the students read with guidance as needed fro the teacher.

○ Reading the Text …the students read the book to themselves while the teacher makes anecdotal notes as she listens and observes the students implementing strategies, stepping into guide by reinforcing and providing appropriate prompting as teachable moments present themselves.

○ Returning to the Text to engage the students in conversation similar to the introduction. Students share thoughts about the text, including questions and connections they may have had during reading.

○ Responding to the Text: extension of learning activities through art, writing, drama, which helps to expand the meaning of text.

○ Word Work: ELL students can apply and learn word=solving skills throughout the lesson and word work can be taught explicitly after the text has been read to minimize interruptions of the reading process.

Research shows reading gains with use of MGR

Avalos, Plasencia, Chavez, & Rascon 2007

Multicultural Focus: Strategies for students’ native language, social skills, and cognitive abilities to help them learn to read English Use culturally familiar

informational texts in the classroom Children can read about something that

sparks their interests Students can demonstrate their

intelligence by providing new knowledge to their peers & relating their personal experiences

Students can identify with test, react to text, and connect text to prior knowledge

Use of cognates (words that are spelled the same or nearly the same) and has the same meaning in two languages

Create interactive learning environment…lots of peer work and hands on activities

Allow students to write in both native language and English

Use of Boardmaker for communication and understanding: visual cues

Explicit Instruction

Model correct grammar

Reader’s Theater

Language Profile

State Indicators:

Phonemic Awareness, Word Recognition & Fluency

Phonemic Awareness, Word Recognition and Fluency Standard Use letter sound correspondence

knowledge and structural analysis to decode words.

Demonstrate fluent oral reading, using sight words and decoding skills, varying intonation and timing as appropriate for text.

Kindergarten First Grade Read own name

Rhyming words

Syllables

Recognizing Letters (upper and lower case), and common sounds of letters

Distinguish letters from words

Hear and say phonemes in sounds

Read one syllable words by sight

Reread stories modeling patterns of change in timing, voice and expression

Identify and say the beginning and ending sounds in words

Consonant blends

Vowels (long and short patterns)

Sounds out unfamiliar words (using knowledge of common word families)

Blend 2-4 phoneme sounds into words

Read aloud with changes in voice, timing and expression, more fluid reading

Decoding skills - patterns onsets & rimes

Phonemic Awareness, Word Recognition and Fluency

Phonemic Awareness, Word Recognition and Fluency

Third GradeSecond Grade

Read multi-syllables by sight

Knowledge of common word families to sound out unfamiliar words (e.g. –ite or –ate)

Read text using fluid and automatic decoding skills

Use knowledge of complex word families to sound out unfamiliar words (e.g. –ould or –ight)

Read passages fluently with changes in tone, voice, timing and expression to demonstrate meaningful comprehension

Phonemic Awareness, Word Recognition and Fluency

In the classroom

Phonemic Awareness Rhyming words Phonics Dance/Chants Music Hunk and Chunk

Word Recognition Repetition of words Word wall

Fluency Show by example Echo reading Buddy reading Small group reading 1 on 1 reading/assessment

State Indicators:

Acquisition of Vocabulary Standard

Acquisition of Vocabulary Standard Use context clues to determine the meaning of new

vocabulary.

Read accurately high-frequency sight words.

Apply structural analysis skills to build and extend vocabulary and to determine word meaning.

Know the meaning of specialized vocabulary by applying knowledge of word parts, relationships and meanings.

Use resources to determine the meanings and pronunciations of unknown words.

Acquisition of Vocabulary StandardKindergarten First Grade Recognize and understand words,

signs and symbols seen in everyday life

Identify words in common categories such as color, number and directional words

Determine the meaning of unknown words, with assistance.

Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homophones

Classify words into categories (colors, fruit, vegetables)

Recognize common sight words.

Compound words (predict the meaning using knowledge of individual words)

Contractions and abbreviations (Jan)

Read root words and their inflectional endings (ed, ing)

Acquisition of Vocabulary StandardSecond Grade Third Grade Use knowledge of word order and in-

sentence context clues to support word identification.

Read accurately high-frequency sight words.

Determine the meaning of common compound words by explaining the relationship between the words contained in the compound.

Prefixes and Suffixes – determine the meaning, un-, pre-, and –er, -est, -ful, -less.

Use context clues to determine the meaning of homophones, homonyms and homographs

Decode and determine the meaning of words by using knowledge of root words and their various inflections

Determine the meaning and pronunciations of unknown words using dictionaries, glossaries, technology and textual features, such as definitional footnotes or sidebars.

Acquisition of Vocabulary Standard

In the classroom

Use a broad range of vocabulary words in the classroom everyday.

Classify objects Read books (wide variety

of genres) Go over new vocabulary

words before reading.

Read stories multiple times

Compound word puzzles with pictures

Use synonyms, antonyms, homophones, prefixes, and suffixes.

Acquisition of Vocabulary Standard

In the classroom

Play is important Helps children understand

their world better Helps children act out

words. (children should hear, see and act out words)

“What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I know.” - Confucius

Children learn best from active involvement (over, under, behind, in front, greater, more, less)

Demonstration of meaning is key – (stomp, slither, top, bottom, clap, smooth, strong, enormous) – This helps children to understand words immediately and is long lasting.

Music

Energize learning activities

Focus concentration Increase attention Improve memory Change brain wave

states

Provide a break from sitting

Establish a positive learning state

Build a sense of anticipation

Repetition helps Is fun

Reading Process: Concepts of Print, ComprehensionStrategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies Standard Establish a purpose for reading and use a range of reading

comprehension strategies to understand literary passages and text.

Make predictions from text clues and cite specific examples to support predictions.

Draw conclusions from information in text.

Apply reading skills and strategies to summarize and compare and contrast information in text, between text and across subject areas.

Demonstrate comprehension by responding to questions (e.g., literal, informational and evaluative).

Apply and adjust self-monitoring strategies to assess understanding of text.

Reading Process: Concepts of Print, ComprehensionStrategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies StandardKindergarten First Grade Demonstrate and understanding that

print has meaning.

Hold book right side up, front to back, left to right.

Know difference between illustration and print.

Predict what will happen next using pictures and content as a guide

Compare information in texts using prior knowledge and experience

Recall info from a story by sequencing pictures.

Establish a purpose for reading

Visualize information in texts and demonstrate this by drawing pictures.

Recall important information in fictional and non-fiction texts.

Create and use graphic organizers (Venn diagrams or webs) with teacher assistance (comprehension)

Independently read books for various purposes.

Reading Process: Concepts of Print, ComprehensionStrategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies StandardSecond and Third Grades

Predict content, events and outcomes from illustrations and prior experience and support with examples from text or knowledge.

Compare and contrast information in texts.

Summarize text by recalling main ideas and some supporting details

Monitor reading comprehension by identifying word errors and self-correcting.

Reading Applications: Informational, Technical and Persuasive Text Standard Use text features and structures to organize

content, draw conclusions and build text knowledge.

Ask clarifying questions concerning essential elements of informational text.

Identify the central ideas and supporting details of informational text.

Evaluate two and three step directions for proper sequencing and completeness.

Reading Applications: Informational, Technical and Persuasive Text Standard Kindergarten

Sequencing of events in text, telling the main idea

First GradeAsk questions, identify central ideas and

supporting details

Second Grade/Third GradeArrange information in sequential order,

classify ideas from text.

Reading Processes/Applications

In the ClassroomRelate print to life experiencesModel readingTeach students how to make predictionsPraise when they make good predictionsSequencing of stories using cards

(individual, small or large groups)Venn Diagrams or WebsUse organizers to clarify ideas for writing

Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard Compare and contrast plot across literacy

works. Use supporting details to identify and

describe main ideas, characters and setting.

Recognize the defining characteristics and features of different types of literary forms and genres.

Explain how an author’s word choice and use of methods influences the reader.

Identify the theme of a literary text.

Writing Process Standard

Generate ideas for written compositions.

Develop audience and purpose for self-selected and assigned writing tasks.

Use organizers to clarify ideas for writing assignments.

Use revision strategies and resources to improve ideas and content, organization, word choice and detail.

Edit to improve sentence fluency, grammar, and usage.

Apply tools to judge the quality of writing.

Publish writing samples for display or sharing with others, using techniques such as electronic resources and graphics.

Writing Process Standard

Kindergarten Use correct sentence structures when expressing thought and ideas. Use resources to enhance vocabulary.

First Grade Develop a main idea for writing Determine purpose and audience Construct complete sentences with subjects and verbs Add descriptive words and details.

Second Grade Organize writing with a developed beginning, middle and end. Use a range of complete sentences, including declarative, interrogative and

exclamatory. Include transitional words and phrases

Third Grade Develop a clear main idea for writing.

Writing Applications Standard

Compose writings that convey a clear message and include well-chosen details.

Write responses to literature that demonstrate an understanding of a literary work.

Write friendly letters and invitations complete with date, salutation, body, closing and signature.

Writing Conventions Standard

Kindergarten First Grade

Print capital and lowercase letters (spacing)

Space between words

Letter name-alphabetic spelling

Punctuation marks at end of sentences

Print legibly

Spell words correctly with regular short vowel patterns and most common long vowel words

Spell high-frequency words correctly

Create phonetically-spelled written word that can usually be read by the writer and others

Spell unfamiliar words using strategies such as segmenting, sounding out and matching familiar words and word parts

Use nouns, verbs and adjectives

Writing Conventions Standard

Second Grade Third Grade

Spell words with consonant blends and digraphs

Spell plurals and verb tenses correctly

Begin to use spelling patterns and rules correctly (e.g. dropping silent e before adding –ing)

Use nouns, verbs and adjectives correctly

Use personal pronouns

Use past and present verb tenses (e.g. “we were rather than “we was”)

Spell multi-syllabic words correctly

Spell contractions, compounds and homonyms

Use correct spelling of words with common suffixes such as –ion, -ment, and –ly.

Use irregular pronouns

Use past, present and future verb tenses

Use conjunctions

Communication: Oral and Visual Standard Use active listening strategies to identify the main

idea and to gain information from oral presentations.

Connect prior experiences insights and ideas to those of a speaker.

Follow multi-step directions.

Speak clearly and at an appropriate pace and volume.

Deliver a variety of presentations that include relevant information and clear sense of purpose.

Exceptional Children

English Language Learners

All Children

Boardmaker Uses

Picture Symbols – Schedules, Static Communication Devices

Games Choice-making Communication All Students (Games, Worksheets)

Boardmaker Uses

GamesDevelop symbol recognitionBuild logic skillsReinforce vocabularyImprove visual perceptionSupport symbol-word correspondencePractice work beginnings and endings

Boardmaker Uses

Games (Working with every child)Adjusting and adapting games to suit any

learner’s ability.Customize words, symbols or images for

increased motivation.Configuring hints and feedback for each

user.Weather Graphs

English Language Learners

Beginning Sounds (th)

Temperature & Weather

References Avalos, M., Plasencia, A., Chavez, C., & Rascón, J. (2007). Modified Guided Reading:

Gateway to English as a Second Language and Literacy Learning. The Reading Teacher, 61(4), 318-29.

Evers, A., Lang, L., Smith, S. (2009). An ABC Literacy Journey: Anchoring in Texts, Bridging Language, and Creating Stories. The Reading Teacher, 62(6), 461-470.

McMaster, K., Kung, S., Han, I., Cao, M. (2008). Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies: A “Tier 1” Approach to Promoting English Learners' Response to Intervention. Exceptional Children, 74(2), 194-214.

Rubin, K.H., Bukowski, W., & Parker, J.G. (1998). Peer interactions, relationships and groups. In W. Damon & N. Eisenberg (eds), Handbook of child psychology, vol 3: Social, emotional and personality development (5th ed). New York: Wiley & Sons.

Northwest Regional Education Laboratory (2005).  Literacy Development.  http://www.netc.org/focus/challenges/literacy.php.

Young, C., Rasinski, T. (2009). Implementing Readers Theatre as an Approach to Classroom Fluency Instruction. The Reading Teacher, 63(1), 4-13.