Materials participants need to bring:
CIRCLE manual
Activity #5: Visit the Classroom Section 2: About
Letter Knowledge
Sharon Kruger
Letter Knowledge sections 1-2
Day 15
webinar: Feb. 23, 2016
face to face: March 1, 2016
Did anyone do anything exciting this beautiful
weekend?
HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS
4
Discussion posts
Pretest for Letter Knowledge
“Letter knowledge is an essential
component of learning to read and
write. Young children learn best
when information is presented in
context and when educators provide
opportunities for children to create
experiences that make the material
meaningful.” (Texas Prekindergarten
Guidelines, pg. 74)
Letter knowledge consists of being
able to associate the names, shapes,
and sounds of letters, and should be
implemented in intentional, playful
ways. By engaging children in letter
knowledge activities, teachers help
children begin to understand the
function of print. Letter knowledge is
one of the strongest predictors of later
reading success. (CIRCLE manual, pg.
255)
In this eCIRCLE course, participants will
explore the following topics:
• Components of letter knowledge
• Letter knowledge in the classroom
environment
• Using letter activities in learning
centers
• Formal and informal letter
knowledge assessment
Letter Knowledge
• Session One:
Section 1: Introduction
Section 2: About Letter Knowledge
• Workshop # 7707
Session Two: Section 3: Setting the Stage for Letter
Knowledge
Section 4: Learning Letters in the ABC Center and
Beyond
Workshop # 7708
Session Three: Section 5: Teaching Letter Knowledge
Throughout the Year
Section 6: Bringing It All Together
At the end of this session of Letter
Knowledge, participants will be able to:
• Explain why letter knowledge is important
in the development of future reading skills.
• Describe appropriate letter knowledge
expectations for prekindergarten children.
• Compare various viewpoints on how to
teach letters to young children.
At the end of this session of Letter Knowledge,
participants will be able to:
• Develop and use a sign-in sheet appropriately in
their classroom.
• Plan and implement appropriate letter
knowledge activities in their classroom.
• Identify strategies for teaching letter knowledge
based on the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines.
• Examine their own assumptions about children’s
letter knowledge and make appropriate changes
in their classroom.
Letter Knowledge Pt. 1 Discussion Post
due March 3, 2016.
1. What personal experiences have you
encountered when teaching letter knowledge?
What have these experiences taught you?
2. How can you use children’s names to teach
letter knowledge skills?
Type your answer in the chat box.
What types of activities do you
use to teach letter knowledge?
Type your answer in the chat box.
Which centers should you teach
letter knowledge in?
Type your answer in the chat box.
How often do you use letter
knowledge activities in your
classroom?
Learning letters is a child's first step toward
developing early literacy skills and understanding
the concepts of reading and writing. The letters of
the alphabet are a child's window to the world of
written words and written expression; by exposing
children to letters, you lead them to understand
that spoken thoughts and ideas can be
communicated exactly the same way in writing.
They begin to understand that letters make sounds
and combine to make words; words combine to
make sentences; and sentences, whether they are
written or spoken, communicate ideas.
Teachers must build their letter knowledge
instruction from the ground up, introducing letter
and language concepts while exposing children to
the letters themselves. In doing so, teachers set the
stage for rich, meaningful, and enjoyable
relationships between young children and the
building blocks of our written language.
BE AN EXPERT: Section 2 Explore letter knowledge
Kasie:
What is letter knowledge, why is it important for young learners, and what does instruction
look like in Spanish?
Tiffany:
How is letter knowledge related to other aspects of language development and literacy
education?
AND
What does the research say about letter knowledge?
Kayla:
What is the most effective way to teach letter knowledge?
and
What is a Letter Wall, and how does it help children learn letters?
Tami
How can letter knowledge be explored and expanded in centers?
Theresa:
What are appropriate letter knowledge expectations for pre-kindergarten children?
And
How can you assess children's letter knowledge as it develops?
MATERIALS NEEDED
Activity #5: Visit the
Classroom Section 2: About
Letter Knowledge
Use this handout to take
notes while watching the
Section 2 videos
View
Section 2: Visit the classroom video (6:07)
Section 2: View commentary: Letter Knowledge
Instruction video (4:42)
How did you answer the handout?
Group 1: Kayla and Theresa J.
Group 2: Tami and Tiffany H.
Group 3: Kasie
Group 1: Demonstrate how a good teacher would
teach a Letter of the Week topic.
Group 2: Demonstrate how this would look taught by
a rotten teacher.
Group 3: You choose which one you want to
demonstrate.
Random letters vs.
meaningful letters (such as
in letters in children’s
names)
Group 1: Tiffany H. and Kasie
Group 2: Tami and Kayla
Group 3: Theresa J.
Group 1: Demonstrate how a good teacher would
teach a large group Letter of the Week topic.
Group 2: Demonstrate how this would look taught by
a rotten teacher would teach a small group letter of
the week topic.
Group 3: Demonstrate how a (rotten or good– your
choice) teacher would teach an individual child a
Letter of the Week.
Type of instruction – whole
group, small group,
individual
Group 1: Kayla and Tiffany H.
Group 2: Theresa J. and Kasie
Group 3: Tami
Group 1: Demonstrate how a good teacher in
transitions would teach a Letter of the Week topic.
Group 2: Demonstrate how a rotten teacher would
teach Letter of the Week in a small group activity.
Group 3: Demonstrate how a (rotten or good– your
choice) teacher would teach a circle time Letter of
the Week
Setting – circle time, centers,
independent activities, small
group activities, transitions
Group 1: Kayla and Tiffany H.
Group 2: Theresa J. and Kasie
Group 3: Tami
Group 1: Demonstrate how a good teacher would
teach a Letter of the Week topic using materials.
Group 2: Demonstrate how a rotten teacher would
teach Letter of the Week using materials .
Group 3: Demonstrate how a (rotten or good– your
choice) teacher would teach Letter of the Week using
materials.
Materials used –
manipulatives,
worksheets, etc.
Group 1: Tiffany H. and Theresa J.
Group 2: Kasie and Tami
Group 3: Kayla
Group 1: Demonstrate how a good teacher would
teach a Letter of the Week topic using hands on
experience.
Group 2: Demonstrate how a rotten teacher would
teach Letter of the Week with a teacher
demonstration.
Group 3: Demonstrate how a (rotten or good– your
choice) teacher would teach Letter of the Week using
hands on experiences.
Child’s opportunities for interaction –
seeing teacher demonstrate, listening
to teacher, hands-on experiences
Group 1: Theresa J. and Kasie
Group 2: Tami and Kayla
Group 3:Tiffany H.
Group 1: Demonstrate how a good teacher would
teach a Letter of the Week topic multiple times a day.
Group 2: Demonstrate how a rotten teacher would
teach Letter of the Week once a week.
Group 3: Demonstrate how a (rotten or good– your
choice) teacher would teach Letter of the Week once
a day.
Frequency of exposure – once a week, once a
day, multiple times a day
Group 1: Kayla and Theresa J.
Group 2: Tami and Tiffany H.
Group 3: Kasie
Group 1: Demonstrate how a good teacher would
teach a Letter of the Week topic linked to center
activities.
Group 2: Demonstrate how a rotten teacher would
teach Letter of the Week linked to center activities.
Group 3: Demonstrate how a (rotten or good– your
choice) teacher would teach Letter of the Week in a
read aloud.
Classroom materials linked to
letters – center books, center
activities, read alouds
Type your answer in the
chat box.
Why are sign in sheets
important in preschool
classrooms?
Type your answer in the
chat box.
List various types of signin sheets that could be
used in a preschool
classroom.
Materials needed:
White paper
markers
Group 1: Tiffany H. and Theresa J.
Group 2: Kasie and Tami
Group 3: Kayla
In your group:
Brainstorm on various types of sign-in sheets
that could be used in preschool classrooms.
Make a chart depicting one type of sign in sheet.
Chart could include word and pictures
describing the sign-in sheet as well as how you
would use it in your classroom.
Materials needed:
CIRCLE manual
Using the CIRCLE manual:
Choose a letter knowledge activity
that you will use next week.
HOMEWORK
Bring samples of sign in sheets that
your classroom uses.
Homework due at
Letter Knowledge
pt. 2 class
HOMEWORK
Bring one of your LETTER WALL CARDS
Bring one of your LETTER WALL PROPS
Bring an example of ENVIRONMENTAL PRINT
from your classroom
Homework due at
Letter Knowledge
pt. 2 class
HOMEWORK
Talk about how your Letter Knowledge activity that
you have chosen from the CIRCLE Manual went.
Homework due at
Letter Knowledge
pt. 2 class
Letter Knowledge Pt. 1 Discussion Post
due March 3, 2016.
1. What personal experiences have you
encountered when teaching letter knowledge?
What have these experiences taught you?
2. How can you use children’s names to teach
letter knowledge skills?